Looking back at the top high school recruits of the 2020 girls basketball class ft. Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink and others

The 2020 girls' high school basketball class was one of the best recruiting classes in recent history, producing elite talents like Caitlin Clark, who went on to have a stellar college career, winning major titles, awards and breaking records. Some of them, like Clark and Angel Reese, are now competing in the WNBA.

What makes the class even more special is the impact they've had on women's basketball, positively impacting the popularity. For example, with the emergence of top talents like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese in the WNBA, there has been a record-breaking increase in viewership, attendance and social media following.

Let's take a closer look at some of the top recruits from the 2020 class, revisiting their journeys through high school basketball:

Top High School Recruits of the 2020 girls basketball class ft. Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink and others

Caitlin Clark

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 02 Women's - USC at Iowa - Source: Getty

Caitlin Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever, was the N0. 4 ranked prospect in the 2020 class. She had all four years of her high school basketball career with Dowling Catholic High School.

As a freshman, Caitlin Clark led the team to a 19-5 record and made the Class 5A All-State third team. She averaged 15.3 points, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game that season.

Caitlin Clark's performance only got better over the years. As a sophomore, she averaged 27.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and four assists per game, winning the Central Iowa Metro League Player of the Year award and making the Class 5A all-state first team.

The next season, Caitlin Clark made all-state first-team selection again and won the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year award. She also led the state in scoring, averaging 32.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Caitlin Clark's senior year was also accolade-filled. She won the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year and made the all-state first-team selection again. She won the Iowa Miss Basketball award, made the McDonald's All-American roster and won the Jordan Brand Classic, which, unfortunately, wasn't played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cameron Brink

Minnesota Lynx v Los Angeles Sparks - Source: Getty

Bink started her high school basketball career with the Southridge High School team, where she spent three seasons. She led the team to the Class 6A state title in her first and second years, winning the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore.

As a junior, she won the USA Today Oregon Player of the Year award and the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year award again. Although Southridge didn't win the Class 6A title that year, she led them to the final.

For her senior year, Bink made the switch to Mountainside High School, where she averaged 19.7 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game despite battling injury. She ended high school as the No. 3 ranked player in the country and was also selected for both McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand Classic games.

Angel Reese

Rose v Lunar Owls - Unrivaled 2025 - Source: Getty

Angel Reese, who plays for Chicago Sky in the WNBA, was the No. 2 ranked player in the 2020 class. She had all four years of her high school career at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she helped her team win the IAAM A Conference title and made the All-Metro first-team selection four years in a row.

As a senior, Reese also made the McDonald's All-American Games and Jordan Brand Classic roster. In honour of her achievements, St. Frances Academy retired her No. 10 jersey, making her the first female player to receive the honour. She finished second in St. Frances Academy's all-time scoring record, with 1,720 points.

Paige Bueckers

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 22 Women's - UConn at Butler - Source: Getty

Paige Bueckers was the No. 1 ranked player in the 2020 class. She plays for UConn at the college level because she had to redshirt a year of college basketball due to an ACL injury.

Buekers attended Hopkins High School, where she spent all four years of her basketball career. As a freshman, she averaged 20.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, leading her team to a 31-1 record and making the Star Tribune All-Metro first-team selection.

Despite her struggles with injuries the next year, Bueckers won the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year and the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year award. She was the first sophomore to win the Metro Player of the Year award since its creation.

After losing consecutive title games, Bueckers eventually led Hopkins High School to the Class 4A state championship. That season, the team went unbeaten, with a 32-0 record, and Buekers won both Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year and Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year awards. She was also one of the three finalists for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award.

Bueckers went on to sweep off all these awards in her senior year, including the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. She also won the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year, and Minnesota Miss Basketball awards.

By the time she left Hopkins, Bueckers was the team's all-time highest scorer in points, assists and steals.

Hailey Van Lith

Hailey Van Lith attended Cashmere High School in Washington, where she spent all four years of her high school basketball career. As a freshman, she averaged 24.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, earning the Class 1A All-State first-team honours.

As a sophomore, Hailey once again led Cashmere High School to the Class 1A title game, but they lost against Lynden Christian School. She was, however, named the AP Class 1A Player of the Year, an award she won again as a junior and senior. She also won the Washington Gatorade Player of the Year award, Washington Ms. Basketball, and the Seattle Times Player of the Year awards.

Hailey was the No. 7 ranked player in the class of 2020 and now represents TCU at the college level.

Edited by Bhargav