April's Underappreciated Players To Know

Some of the highly touted players have already been discussed, so it's time for some of the lesser-known players to get some attention. April is a month packed with great basketball and it's certainly not difficult sourcing talent from all the great games played. It's essential to recognize players with lower profiles or ones not always recognized for their abilities. Below are 5 under the radar or underappreciated players from this month.   Use code MBG30 for 30% off your first purchase of any subscription.    Koharu Tamanka (2027) | 5'6 GUard | MA Huskies   Tanaka is a high-energy guard that puts forth maximum effort on both sides of the ball. She's a particularly good on the drive coming downhill with a full head of steam. Her ability to get paint touches can't be stressed enough. Her strong base and tendency to embrace contact makes her an ideal perimeter defender. Koharu's influence on both sides of the ball should certainly elevate her status as a prospect.     [player_tooltip player_id='351873' first='Story' last='Victory Moore'] (2027) | 5'6 Guard | IBelieve   Even though Story is currently listed as the #11 ranked player in the class, it's becoming increasingly obvious how effective she is with her well-balanced game. Her ability to fill many roles in one game is indispensable. At a moment's notice Story could be asked to share ball handling responsibilities or provide relief as a shooter on the perimeter for the lane penetrators on her team. SVM supplies her team with timely drives to the basket as well. One striking attribute of hers is her expertise at keeping the ball protected from defenders. She's shrewd and uses spin moves that incorporate her body used as a shield when she's on the move. The angles Story is able to create after countering off the defenders allows her to get to the basket with some exciting finishes. When in the lane, SVM also has a tendency to stop just short of the big. She's able to put up close-range shots right before the secondary help comes to step up. Her decisive decision-making with the ball in her hands should not be underemphasized.     [player_tooltip player_id='975772' first='Kinsleigh' last='Vanderburg'] (2028) | 5'8 SG | IBelieve   Didn't get the chance to get a great glimpse of Vanderburg during the year, but seeing her tenacious efforts on both sides of the ball this weekend was definitely eye-opening. In some competitive, high-level action Kinsleigh made it clear that's she's a guard worthy of mention here. The energy exerted on each possession propelled her team forward. When Kinsleigh gets swung the ball on the wing, she attacks with venom and on the opposite end, she's a willing defender that's ready to take on most challenges. Her steady performance along with potential as a 2-way perimeter player makes this young guard an intriguing prospect.     [player_tooltip player_id='483913' first='Lauren' last='Bousquet'] (2026) | 5'10 Forward | MA Huskies   Some would wonder, how is a Gatorade Player of the Year considered underrated? However, this is undoubtedly the case with Bousquet. Her comprehensive game covers a lot of ground and she does some special things on the floor that separate her from a lot of her peers. Lauren has one of the best midrange games along with the ability to be close-range scorer. She uses a ton of moves from the midrange down to the block to craft good takes at the rim. What's even more impressive is that she shoots a high percentage when putting up these tough shots in the paint. It's still puzzling how a player like her has the stats, attributes, plus the overall impact on the game and isn't a buzzing name in terms of recruitment. Maybe the acclamations will come in due time for the multifaceted forward. She's such an enthralling player.     [player_tooltip player_id='491815' first='Cassidy' last='Mullin'] (2026) | 5'8 PG | MA Huskies   Mullin is a player that's prepared to do her job each time she steps on the floor. She's not a player that usually does too much with the ball in her hands, Cassidy would much rather make the connective pass to open teammates and fill the lane. She understands that early initiation of the offense sets her teammates up nicely before the defense has time to react. Mullin also shows the ability to attack the open space, making other defenders respond to what she's doing. She has the capacity to finish amongst a great deal of contact and sometimes she'll even use her lane penetration as decoy to feed the open big on the opposite block. On the other side of the ball, Cassidy has shown to be a profound defender. She closes the gap quickly and doesn't easily allow players the space to operate comfortably. The '26 guard shouldn't be glossed over when it comes to effective point guards.

Some of the highly touted players have already been discussed, so it's time for some of the lesser-known players to get some attention. April is a month packed with great basketball and it's certainly not difficult sourcing talent from all the great games played. It's essential to recognize players with lower profiles or ones not always recognized for their abilities. Below are 5 under the radar or underappreciated players from this month.