2023 AAU Player of the Year & All-Star Team

“Walk softly and carry a big stick. You will go far.” Those are the words of an African proverb made famous more than a century ago by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. President Teddy was talking about American foreign policy, but the same description certainly applies to Minnesota Fury guard [player_tooltip player_id="108301" first="Kennedy" last="Sanders"], whose big stick packs a wallop. Sanders has forged a reputation for toughness, grit, surehandedness and guile. She may not say a lot, but Kennedy’s actions speak much louder than words, and the results are excellence personified. That’s why we are pleased to name the incoming junior from Chaska as our Prep Girls Hoops 2023 AAU Player of the Year. Coming off an outstanding high school season during which she led her team to the Class 4A state title, expectations were high for Sanders. The goal for the AAU campaign – at least in our minds – was to make it obvious to college coaches that Kennedy was capable of playing at the high major level. When the D1 recruiters returned to the gym in July after a two-year absence they saw first-hand just how dominant Kennedy can be. She’s not very big but her impact most certainly is. There’s a reason Kennedy is the #4 prospect in the Class of 2023. Actually there are a ton of reasons. Her skill, savvy and swagger set her apart from the crowd. She scores in high volume, but it is Sanders’ ability to raise the level of play of everyone around her that is truly special. This is how our colleague Rudy Ruffin described Kennedy at the Summer Jam: “The point guard has been getting better and better each step of the way... She has so many strengths on offense and it’s really hard to shut her down. Her speed in transition is the first thing you’ll notice because every time she gets the ball she pushes it up the court, putting herself in position to either take it herself or pass it up to one of her teammates. She is one of the best one-on-one players I’ve ever seen. She can take anyone off the bounce and her first step will beat you every time. What makes her multi-dimensional is that she can shoot from beyond the arc, she can pull up for a jumper, shoot the floater, or get you on a Eurostep. One of my favorite players to watch. She is a walking bucket.” Sanders is smooth. She’s smart. She’s shifty, too. Most of all she is mentally strong and simply will not be denied. I’m just grateful we still get to watch this point guard do work here for the next two years. After that some lucky college coach will be reaping the rewards. There were multiple candidates for MVP honors As good as Sanders was all summer, her coronation as 2023 AAU Player of the Year was not without discussion. We could just as easily have handed the award to [player_tooltip player_id="108302" first="Molly" last="Lenz"] of North Tartan EYBL. The #7-rated prospect in the Class of 2023, Lenz is a tough-as-nails point guard with exceptional ball-handling skills who can run an offense with the best of them. Her rise to prominence in the class has been steady-as-she-goes, and this year the incoming junior from Eden Prairie was better than ever as she led North Tartan to a 16U State Championship. Molly continued to play at a very high level through the July viewing period and has top-shelf collegiate offers to show for it. Lenz’s teammate [player_tooltip player_id="108306" first="Kennedy" last="Klick"] had an exceptional season, as well. She claimed the unique distinction of earning two championship rings on the same day as she was an integral part of North Tartan’s victories on both the 17U and 16U squads. Klick parlayed her exceptional length, speed, quickness and touch into another summer of success with Marqus McGlothan’s 2023 squad. When the 2022s ran into a spate of injuries, Kennedy stepped up and delivered. Sanders’ teammate [player_tooltip player_id="108321" first="Aby" last="Shubert"] of Kasson-Mantorville was also excellent. When the Top-10 ranked Shubert joined the Fury there was some skepticism over how she and Sanders would mesh, how they would share the ball in an effective way. Would there be enough minutes to go around? Could new coach Blake Dudonis keep everyone happy? Such worrying proved to be nothing more than wasted energy. The two were terrific together. Sanders and Klick are both repeat members of the 2023 AAU All-Star Team. The same is true for Hopkins forward [player_tooltip player_id="108298" first="Taylor" last="Woodson"] of Metro Stars 2022 3SSB. The #2-rated prospect among Minnesota juniors-to-be, Taylor was once again a standout performer from beginning to end. Her combination of size, speed and skill is very rare. She can score, rebound, defend and dish at a very high level, and just as easily slip past defenders with finesse or run them over with sheer power. Here is a complete list of the Prep Girls Hoops 2023 AAU All Stars: 1st Team <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108301" first="Kennedy" last="Sanders"] – Fury 2023 UAA (Chaska)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108302" first="Molly" last="Lenz"] – North Tartan EYBL (Eden Prairie)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108321" first="Aby" last="Shubert"] – Fury 2023 UAA (Kasson-Mantorville)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108298" first="Taylor" last="Woodson"] – Metro Stars 2022 3SSB (Hopkins)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108306" first="Kennedy" last="Klick"] – North Tartan EYBL (Maple Grove)</li> </ul> 2nd Team <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108348" first="Nunu" last="Agara"] – Metro Stars 2022 3SSB (Hopkins)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108299" first="Tessa" last="Johnson"] – North Tartan EYBL (St. Michael-Albertville)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108338" first="Dani" last="Nuest"] – Minnesota Comets Elite (Becker)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="302254" first="Vanessa" last="Saidu"] – 43 Hoops McCoy (Park Center)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108345" first="Brynn" last="Senden"] – Stars Hersch (Wayzata)</li> </ul> Honorable Mention <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108335" first="Vivica" last="Bretton"] – Stars Hersch (Rochester Lourdes)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="148338" first="Grace" last="Counts"] – Metro Stars 2022 Voight (Providence)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108300" first="Clara" last="Glad"] – North Tartan EYBL (Rogers)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108315" first="Sophi" last="Hall"] – Fury 2023 UAA (Holy Family)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108316" first="Taryn" last="Hamling"] – Stars Hersch (Grand Rapids/NDSU)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="148319" first="Olivia" last="Harazin"] – MN Rise Wright (Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108341" first="Anna" last="Lenzen"] – Fury 2023 Premier (Chaska)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="186118" first="Lauren" last="Pawlyshyn"] – FBC Real (Prior Lake)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="186117" first="Ava" last="Privet"] – Playmakers (Caledonia)</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="108304" first="Maren" last="Westin"] – North Tartan EYBL (Becker)</li> </ul> Top photo: Chaska guard [player_tooltip player_id="108301" first="Kennedy" last="Sanders"] (front row wearing #2) of Fury 2023 UAA.