AAU Awards: 2027 Breakout Player of the Year

This week, we began rolling out our postseason awards for the 2026 AAU campaign, starting with the Breakout Player of the Year awards. Now with three of the four classes complete, it's time to highlight our Class of 2027 winner, [player_tooltip player_id='889671' first='Nesa' last='Namjoshi'] from the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'].   In addition to our breakout performers and Coach of the Year award (check that out <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2026/07/minnesota-aau-coach-of-the-year-tim-ellefson/">Here</a>), the full list of accolades also includes the AAU Newcomer of the Year, Hard Hat All Star Team, Most Valuable Duos, and one Defensive Player for each class. We'll cover each of those over the next couple of weeks.   As a reminder: Only Minnesota players are eligible for these awards. This means that players from other states who play for Minnesota AAU clubs were not considered. On the other hand, players from Minnesota who play for out-of-state clubs were considered eligible, provided that we had the opportunity to see them play in person.    For some breakout players, evolution happens seemingly overnight. Whether they hit a growth spurt, get a boost in confidence, or are given a significant role on their team for the first time, the trajectory of a player's career can explode over the course of just a couple of months. That was not the case for Namjoshi.    The Eden Prairie senior's rise has been a textbook example of what it looks like when a player puts their head down and does the work, focusing on improvement year after year. Eventually, when that preparation meets opportunity, good things are bound to happen. Such was the case this past winter, when Nesa found herself playing a leading role for the Eagles in her junior season. As the team's starting point guard, she was second in scoring at 14.2 points per game, and led in rebounds at over 6 per contest. Talk about meeting the moment.    Following her high school campaign, it was clear to us that Nesa was making a leap. This spring, once we heard that multiple Division 2 and NAIA schools were in the recruiting conversation, that became even more obvious. Starting out at #101 last summer, Namjoshi has steadily climbed all the way up to #67 in the class of 2027. In recent memory, few players have had that large of an evolution.   In her final AAU season with the Fury 2027 S40 squad, the 5'7 guard put on complete, two-way performances week after week. Nesa led her team in scoring on numerous occasions, putting up 40 points or more at the Summer Kickoff Classic, Summer Jam, and both the AAU State Prelims and the State Tournament the following weekend. All summer she shot the ball reliably from three, attacked the basket with confidence and speed, and efficiently distributed to her teammates. All the while, Namjoshi was consistently one of the best defenders on the floor. The Fury's rising star excelled at beating opponents to their spots, anticipating passes and off-ball cuts, and crashing the glass with precise understanding of timing and spacing, allowing her to snag boards from forwards and centers alike.   Then, in late June, all the pieces fell into place. After receiving offers from multiple D3, NAIA, and D2 schools, Nesa announced her commitment to two-time Division 2 national champion MSU-Mankato. With great speed, a high basketball IQ, and tremendous attention to detail on the defensive end, Namjoshi is a perfect fit for the Mavericks high-octane, fast-paced, full-court pressure system.    RUNNER-UP    While she isn't exactly a marquee name in the incoming senior class, Ling started the AAU season off with a bang, first catching our attention at the Spring Showdown back in April. A high-IQ point guard with versatile scoring ability, the Opportunity 11 Black standout was a consistent performer all summer. She showed off strong decision making, a high motor on defense, and brought a dynamic spark for her team. A recognition of her efforts, Ella saw a major boost in her recruiting. The PACT Charter senior has now fielded offers from a wide variety of D3 schools, including, but not limited to, Hamline, Crown College, and Bethany Lutheran. Already a 1,000-point scorer for the Panthers, Ling is set to have a big impact in her senior season.    HONORABLE MENTION    Much like Namjoshi, Smolich took a big leap this spring. After averaging 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in the high school season, the 5'11 forward was a star performer for the [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze']. Anna routinely found scoring opportunities as a rim-runner in transition, on slashes to the basket, and by posting up on the low block, all with a high rate of efficiency. All throughout the AAU season, she held her own in big matchups, often battling against much larger opponents. During our last rankings update in June, the Spring Lake Park senior jumped 13 positions, placing her at #61 in the class. Since last month, Smolich has picked up Division 3 offers from Augsburg, St. Scholastica, and St. Ben's, plus a Division 2 offer from Jamestown.

This week, we began rolling out our postseason awards for the 2026 AAU campaign, starting with the Breakout Player of the Year awards. Now with three of the four classes complete, it's time to highlight our Class of 2027 winner, Nesa Namjoshi Nesa Namjoshi 5'7" | PG/CG Eden Prairie | 2027 State MN from the Minnesota Fury .