The Top Five Prospects in 2026 Are Off the Board

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The pressure to decide on where you will spend your first year as a collegiate athlete is always a tough one, especially heading into senior year. You want your last year to be about making memories, capping off goals, breaking records, and ultimately winning your state's championship. And with the transfer portal playing such a big role now, the idea of “spending the next 4 years here” isn't really promised anymore, which makes that first landing spot even more important. These 5 prospects have been the consensus top players in this class for a while, and it's safe to say that they are keyed in on winning their senior year.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1359861,"width":"588px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/11/1-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-1359861" style="width:588px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514944' first='Trinity' last='Jones'] - </strong><em>Trinity has been one of the best prospects in the state and the country since entering high school. Since her sophomore year, she has racked up over 20 high-major Division 1 offers, and even after an injury that sidelined her for her junior year, she still managed to bring in offers after having multiple standout moments during this past AAU season. Jones will be heading to <strong>Clemson</strong> for her first year, and with this program bringing in a ton of talent next fall, Jones will be battling for minutes in her freshman campaign, but will definitely have the edge due to her athleticism. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514946' first='Shania' last='James']</strong> - <em>James continues to hold the title for the best scoring guard in this class, and the high level playmaking is what really set her apart from the other smaller guards in this class. <strong>SMU</strong> has a new head coach at the helm, and with a coach who loves small and explosive guards, Shania should be in a great situation to make something happen in year one when she gets on campus. She's a highlight reel waiting to happen, and a kid who puts her head down and works. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513525' first='Stella' last='Sakalas']</strong> - <em>Stella is one of the more versatile, skilled players in this class and has gone about her recruitment in a quiet way. Even though she received a ton of offers from the major conferences, she chose <strong>BYU</strong>, a program that puts the best players on the floor, regardless of class. This should work in Stella's favor next fall when she's battling for minutes. She should be able to crack the rotation and can be utilized off the ball as a corner shooter and as a diver. Her size and feel could also help her guard multiple positions, and the playmaking ability she has will fit in as well.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514035' first='Danyella' last='Mporokoso']</strong> - <em>There's not a guard in this class that plays with the same intensity and aggression that Danyella plays with. Off the court, she seems mild mannered and to herself, but the moment the ball is tipped off, you're dealing with someone who wants to take your head off. With a decent amount of offers being sent her way, Danyella chose to stay home and play for <strong>Illinois State</strong>. To me, this is a sign of a prospect who wants to showcase her talent IMMEDIATELY. Currently, there's no active player on the program with this amount of stardom, and when she arrives, Danyella could be giving the keys. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514895' first='Xyanna' last='Walton']</strong> - <em>Walton will be arriving at <strong>Northwestern</strong> next year, where a new staff will already be in place. She'll be welcomed in with open arms, especially with her sister already on campus and making an impact for the program. Xyanna is going to bring a different type of shooting ability that this program hasn't seen in a while, and her game still holds value even when the ball isn't in her hands, which should help her crack the rotation early. I don't see her passing up a Northwestern degree, so it's fair to say the Walton sisters could be the face of that program over the next couple of years.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->