AAU Awards: 2028 Defensive Players of the Year

Over the past handful of weeks, we've been covering our annual AAU awards for 2026. So far we've highlighted the Coach of the Year, AAU Newcomer of the Year, one Breakout Player for each class, the Most Valuable Duos in each class, and our Hard Hat All-Star Teams. Now in our fourth week of postseason award coverage, we have one more accolade to hand out – the Defensive Player of the Year awards. Much like last year, we'll be breaking things down by age level and highlighting two winners per class, plus a handful of honorable mentions.    Unlike some of our other awards, there isn't a clear-cut definition for what makes someone a Defensive Player of the Year. While in the pro leagues there are advanced stats like defensive rating and win shares, which can be used to precisely measure a player's defensive impact, we don't have anything of the sort for AAU. It's rare that rebounds, steals, and blocks are even tracked during the summer season. So, in lieu of trying to identify the best statistical defenders, we're approaching this one as more of an art than a science. For our purposes, DPOY can mean a lot of things. Some kids excel as on-ball defenders, some are outstanding on the boards, and some can force turnovers all day long. As a general rule, the players featured here played with relentless energy and effort this season, were regularly tasked with guarding their opponents top players, and consistently made winning plays when it mattered most.    As a final reminder: Only Minnesota players are eligible for these awards. This means that players from other states who play for Minnesota-based 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.    All that being said, here are our selections for Defensive Players of the Year in the class of 2028.     For those who have been paying attention to the AAU scene in Minnesota this summer, this award should come as no surprise. For those who are not quite as in the loop, let me catch you up to speed. During her sophomore season at Andover, Logan was unstoppable on both ends of the floor. On top of her 23.5 points per game, the 6'4 center led the team with 15.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 3.3 blocks per contest, earning her the PGH Defensive Player of the Year award for the high school season. Unsurprisingly, Miller was just as dominant for the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] this summer. At UAA circuit events, the Fury's physical post presence amassed a total of 170 points, 102 rebounds, and 28 blocks over just eleven games. On top of leading the team in all three statistical categories, Logan's efforts were critical in the 2028 UAA squad's undefeated record and 16U UAA Championship win. After asserting herself as a dominant force on the national stage this summer, it's clear that going forward, Miller is going to be a serious factor in the class of 2028.     It was a similar story for Wilson this season, who spent the summer playing up a year for [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s 17U EYBL squad. The 6'3 post shined at events such as Summer Jam and the AAU State Championship, where Sahara endlessly battled for rebounds, protected the rim, and locked down the paint on defense. What was even more impressive was that, due to injuries, Tartan's frontcourt was pretty short-staffed, meaning that Wilson took on the challenge all on her own. And at EYBL sessions throughout the summer, the Lakeville North standout continued to shine. Through 16 games, Wilson averaged 7 points, a team high 7.3 boards, as well as 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per contest. Among the over 350 players in Nike's 17U EYBL division, she finished 12th in rebounds per game. Clearly, we weren't the only ones to take notice. Since the first NCAA live period back in May, Wilson picked up a plethora of high-major offers. Among the list were schools such as Rutgers, Colorado, Kansas State, Auburn, and Louisville.    HONORABLE MENTIONS   [player_tooltip player_id='644898' first='Ally' last='Moore'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 16U EYBL, Orono   [player_tooltip player_id='948888' first='Mallory' last='McBeth'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712700' first='Minnesota' last='Suns'] 2028 S40, Wayzata   [player_tooltip player_id='897889' first='Madilynn' last='Bell'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 16U EYCL Metro, Lakeville North   [player_tooltip player_id='786398' first='Zaida' last='Jenkins'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 2028 3SSB, Benilde-St. Margaret's

Over the past handful of weeks, we've been covering our annual AAU awards for 2026. So far we've highlighted the Coach of the Year, AAU Newcomer of the Year, one Breakout Player for each class, the Most Valuable Duos in each class, and our Hard Hat All-Star Teams. Now in our fourth week of postseason award coverage, we have one more accolade to hand out – the Defensive Player of the Year awards. Much like last year, we'll be breaking things down by age level and highlighting two winners per class, plus a handful of honorable mentions.