AAU Breakout Player of the Year: Chloe Johnson

When looking to recognize breakout players the criteria is usually pretty simple. We are seeking athletes who have been on our radar for some time – usually in 9th, 10th or 11 grade – whose game has risen to new heights in recent months. Normally they have already made a big jump in recent rankings updates. Last summer's winner was 2025 forward [player_tooltip player_id='296515' first='Hope' last='Counts'] of Providence Academy with 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id='302307' first='Elisabeth' last='Gadient'] of Goodhue finishing as our runner-up. In 2021 it was 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id='178277' first='Jordan' last='Zubich'] of Mountain Iron-Buhl who took home the prize with 2023 forward Vanessa Saidu, then of Park Center, as the runner-up. All four of them have gone on to distinguish themselves with Zubich committing to North Carolina, Saidu moving on to Texas A&M and Gaident committing to MSU-Mankato. Counts will no doubt land in a great place, too.   Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, situations where younger players are more deserving than the standard selections. All things considered, who has been more exceptional in the summer of 2023 than 7th grader [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] of Duluth Marshall? The upper-crust talent has shattered numerous barriers, largely silenced the skeptics, and dazzled college coaches from coast to coast. We think she has done more than all others to earn recognition as Prep Girls Hoops AAU Breakout Player of the Year.   [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] – 2028 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='713214' first='Starks' last='Elite'] & All Iowa Attack EYBL   In 2022, Johnson did the unthinkable, earning a major role on the 17U [program_tooltip program_id='713214' first='Starks' last='Elite'] squad out of Duluth as a 6th grader. Playing with girls five years her senior, Johnson played exceptionally well and her highlight film of 17U performances has been a talking point among basketball people ever since. In addition to her headlining role with the excellent Starks' 15U squad, it came as no surprise that Johnson suited up with the 17s again where she was stellar. But that wasn't enough to satisfy the generational talent who may be the best 2028 prospect in America. In July, Chloe joined the All Iowa Attack 17U EYBL team from Ames.   It's one thing to have success on a mid-level squad like Starks against comparable opponents but quite another to show you can do it on the EYBL Circuit against the best of the best who are bound for places like Louisville and Baylor and South Carolina. Johnson distinguished herself on the AIA team that finished 2nd at Nationals, quickly becoming a key piece who played a lot of minutes, facilitated like a veteran, scored her share of buckets, and defended at a high level. It was nothing short of remarkable.   Many veteran observers of the AAU game said it couldn't be done. Johnson proved them wrong. In speaking with several Division 1 college coaches who witnessed her performances first-hand, we asked if they could recall any other players who had made such an impact at a young age on the biggest of stages. The name that came up a number of times was Sabrina Ionescu, who went on to capture every accolade possible at the University of Oregon and is now a WNBA star with the New York Liberty. That's heady company.   Johnson is a unique player with a set of tools that defies description. She is also a unique individual with an incredible back story and a will to succeed that is unparalleled. We wrote a feature story on Chloe's journey back in June. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2023/06/aau-week-10-recap-keeping-up-with-the-johnsons/">Click here</a> to read more about this special player and find out why she is more than deserving of our Breakout Player of the Year award.   RUNNER-UP   [player_tooltip player_id='461358' first='Mallory' last='Czinano'] – 2024 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] Szabla   Leah Szabla's 2024 [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] squad had an unbelievable summer, a grassroots campaign that started off slowly before escalating fast with a surprising third-place finish at the AAU State Tournament. The complete season that followed earned Leah our AAU Coach of the Year honors (<a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2023/07/aau-coach-of-the-year-leah-szabla-metro-stars/">Click here</a> to read about that) and put more of a focus on several players who made the team's success possible. Nobody burst into the limelight in a bigger way than Czinano.   The 6'1 post from Watertown-Mayer, who didn't even play on the AAU circuit last summer, showed terrific mobility for a big power forward, a great set of hands, and an enhanced ability to finish in a variety of ways. Mallory's consistency, on-court communications, and ability to perform under pressure all improved substantially. She also became an outstanding leader on the team, the one who set an example but also kept everyone in good spirits with her engaging sense of humor and ability to help build camaraderie among her teammates. All of that earned Mallory a monumental jump in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2024 rankings as she catapulted up 114 places to #51. She was rewarded with a next-level opportunity as Czinano committed to MSU-Mankato for the fall of 2024.   HONORABLE MENTIONS   [player_tooltip player_id='461383' first='Bella' last='DeHaan'] – 2024 forward, MN Diamond Elite   Watching Bella compete in a Breakdown high school event a couple of weeks ago it was blatantly obvious just how much her game has evolved while competing on the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit. Over the summer, the 6-foot power forward demonstrated improved footwork, the ability to finish more consistently at the rim, and much better shooting. Her standard compete level – off the charts! – remains the cornerstone of Bella's game. We project that DeHaan is about to have a breakout season at Lakeville North under new coach Andy Berkvam. She has certainly earned the opportunity.   [player_tooltip player_id='520261' first='Ava' last='Olson'] – 2025 forward, Legacy Hoops Elite   It's not unusual for post players to be late bloomers. We've certainly seen that with Czinano and DeHaan. With one more season of AAU remaining, and two years of high school ball, there's plenty of room for Olson to take another big jump. This summer, the incoming junior from Owatonna soared in the 2025 rankings from #126 to #40 and began collecting D1 offers along the way. We love the simplicity of Ava's game, and how focused she is on mastering the basics of her position. Her outside game has evolved, too, and gives her a lot more versatility. It was certainly a breakout summer for Olson with a whole lot more to come.   [player_tooltip player_id='478390' first='Sinae' last='Hill'] – 2026 guard, Minnesota Stars 3SSB Hill   Sinae entered the AAU season as an established Top 20 prospect. How is it that a player of Hill's caliber can have a breakout season, you may ask? The answer is simple: By living up to her promise as a college basketball prospect and delivering one high-level performance after another. Sinae has always been a well-rounded competitor with excellent potential but this year she parlayed her length, athleticism, size and smarts into elite-level productivity that earned her a spot on our 2026 All Stars First Team. The Minnehaha Academy sophomore-to-be has a very high ceiling and this season she delivered on her promise.

When looking to recognize breakout players the criteria is usually pretty simple. We are seeking athletes who have been on our radar for some time – usually in 9th, 10th or 11 grade – whose game has risen to new heights in recent months. Normally they have already made a big jump in recent rankings updates. Last summer's winner was 2025 forward Hope Counts Hope Counts 6'2" | SF Providence Academy | 2025 State MN of Providence Academy with 2024 guard Elisabeth Gadient Elisabeth Gadient 5'10" | CG Goodhue | 2024 State MN of Goodhue finishing as our runner-up. In 2021 it was 2024 guard Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN of Mountain Iron-Buhl who took home the prize with 2023 forward Vanessa Saidu, then of Park Center, as the runner-up. All four of them have gone on to distinguish themselves with Zubich committing to North Carolina, Saidu moving on to Texas A&M and Gaident committing to MSU-Mankato. Counts will no doubt land in a great place, too.