Freshman 50: Meet the Top 5 in the Class of 2028

Every class is a little bit different. Most years the debate is endless prior to publishing the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50, an extended process driven by our desire to accurately determine who should be the #1-ranked 9th grader in the state. In the Class of 2023, for example, we couldn't decide initially between Taylor Woodson, Nunu Agara and Tessa Johnson. It was similar among the 2026s where [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway'] and [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'] are still ranked 1 and 1a. And then there are the classes where the top prospect is so obvious that the conversation leads to agreement in a minute or less. The Class of 2028 is one of those situations.   For the first time since Paige Bueckers of Hopkins was a unanimous #1 in the Class of 2020, the choice for the 2028s was simple: [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] of Duluth Marshall. As a generational talent, with a set of skills and attributes that is truly unique, Johnson is one of the premier players in the country and the best prospect we've seen since Paige went off to UConn to change the world.   BY THE NUMBERS   As has been the case over the past couple of seasons, the PGH Freshman Showcase had significant impact on the rankings, particularly in the bottom half. For our own purposes, we did a preliminary top 50 prior to the Showcase. That list did not include a half dozen players who made it into the final version. The kids had an opportunity to shine and they took it. Others raised their stock at the event and find themselves farther north on the list than before. That's how the process is supposed to work.   Here are a few facts on the Freshmen 50 selections:   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>All 20 players on our 2028 Watch List published in the spring made the Freshman 50.</li>   <li>Some seven of the top 20 prospects are from outside of the Twin Cities region, 17 of 50 overall. That's almost the same as last year.</li>   <li>Only two players in the top 20 are from private schools – [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] of Duluth Marshall and [player_tooltip player_id='565313' first='Elsa' last='Retzlaff'] of Hillcrest Lutheran in Fergus Falls. There are just five private school athletes overall, half of last year's total.</li>   <li>Among the Freshman 50, there are 29 players from big Class 4A schools and another seven who play in Class 3A programs.</li> </ul>   Before we talk about the Top 10 prospects of 2028 here are a few reminders of how the Prep Girls Hoops rankings process works.   HOW THE RANKINGS WORK   When we publish the first ranking of any particular class, there are always a large number of folks learning about the rankings process for the first time. That's why we include frequent reminders of how it all works, because it can be confusing. So here goes…   Players are officially ranked by Prep Girls Hoops for the first time in the fall of their freshman year. The prior spring we publish a Watch List of 20 names listed in alphabetical order and then make it official in the fall. The rankings are updated three times a year, usually in October, February and June. Each time the list gets a little bit longer. The Class of 2028 ranking begins with 50 names now and will grow by 25 or so players this winter. Subsequent updates will add at least 10-15 new names each time.   Players are rarely removed from the list unless they no longer play basketball or move to a different state. Players who commit to a different sport in college are usually relocated well down the list since their chances of playing college basketball are greatly diminished at that point. The single most important thing you need to know is this: The PGH Minnesota rankings are about COLLEGE POTENTIAL, NOT CURRENT PERFORMANCE.   Our goal isn't to tell you who the best 9th graders are in Minnesota. Our goal is to predict who will be the best college freshmen four years from now. That's why you'll sometimes find kids who have yet to play a minute of varsity near the top of the list and players who are the undisputed leaders of their high school team left out of the rankings altogether. It's not about today; it's about four years from now. It's not about what it takes to succeed in high school; it's about what it takes to be a contributor in college.   Among the most important attributes we are looking for are height and length, natural athleticism, skill development, court vision, a strong understanding of the game, teamwork, body language, plus leadership and communication skills. We're also watching the parents, who are in a position to help or hinder their kids' recruiting process.   There are many people involved in the process, and we see a ton of basketball. We have a diverse group of evaluators, and we get new people to review the information every time we update the rankings. Among the participants are current and former AAU, high school and college coaches from all levels. Everyone involved is granted anonymity, which is what makes it work well.   We are always trying to improve how we evaluate and rank players, and we don't always get it right. There are at least 10 more players who could have been included here; unfortunately there are only 50 spots. That's the bad news. The good news is those athletes stand a very good chance of being added in the winter update. Eventually, we'll see the overwhelming majority of good college prospects make their way into the rankings. For now. we bring you the Top 10 in two parts with #11-20 on Wednesday and the rest of the 50 on Thursday.   Now it's time to meet the first 5.    #1 – To put it simply, the Duluth Marshall point guard is one of the most promising young prospects we have seen come out of the state of Minnesota. With elite court vision and understanding of the game, Chloe is an excellent distributor, scorer, and floor general. While it may not be the first thing that jumps out about her game, she is not lacking in physical gifts either. Johnson has length, a large frame, and tremendous athleticism. Above all else, she has poured countless hours into honing her craft. We highly recommend you carve out some time in your schedule if you haven't yet had a chance to see Chloe's greatness firsthand. She's special.     #2 – We've known for a long time that Peterson would be one of the best college prospects in the Class of 2028, but her evolution as a player over the past year has been truly remarkable. After stellar 8th grade varsity and AAU seasons alike, Ari's game has blossomed. She has length and elevation for days, can score at every level on the court, and becomes more and more skilled every time we see her compete. Peterson plays with a gracefulness that makes nearly everything look easy, even some of her more outstanding feats of athleticism. While there are some big shoes to fill this season at Minnetonka, Ari is perfectly suited to the task.     #3 – Mobility, footwork, and physicality are some of the major keys to success for modern-day post players. Add in considerable size, strength, and a high work ethic and you have a perfect storm of potential. The Lakeville North 9th grader embodies all of these traits and more. While there are very few true post players in the freshman class, Wilson is the best of them. She has made big leaps in her fundamentals and touch around the rim, and Sahara's tenacity and energy on the defensive end make the paint a downright scary place to be when she's around. With a long list of great post players having come out of Minnesota, Wilson's name may eventually be among them.     #4 – Much like her sisters, the youngest Ramlall is yet another tremendous college prospect. Ashna has put a ton of time into mastering the key skills for a guard: She can handle and distribute the ball, run an offense, and score at multiple levels. The hallmark of Ashna's game, however, is her three-point shooting ability. She displayed her shooting many times over the course of the AAU season, averaging multiple three-pointers per game. Ramlall plays the game with passion and energy and has a tremendous basketball IQ, too. She is the kind of fundamentally sound, well-rounded guard that any college coach would love to have.     #5 – Standing at 6-foot-3 and still growing, Logan is a gem among post player prospects. It's rare to find a 9th grader with that kind of height. Add in her large frame, mobility and high motor and Logan becomes even more of a unicorn. She can score with her back to the basket or when attacking off the bounce. She excels at passing the ball out of the post. She uses her length on defense and does a tremendous job locking down the paint. Miller is expected to be a varsity standout at Andover this winter and opponents will need to watch out because Logan is going to impact outcomes in a big way.    PGH scout Ally McGinnis wrote these player profiles.

Every class is a little bit different. Most years the debate is endless prior to publishing the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50, an extended process driven by our desire to accurately determine who should be the #1-ranked 9th grader in the state. In the Class of 2023, for example, we couldn't decide initially between Taylor Woodson, Nunu Agara and Tessa Johnson. It was similar among the 2026s where Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN and Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5'11" | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN are still ranked 1 and 1a. And then there are the classes where the top prospect is so obvious that the conversation leads to agreement in a minute or less. The Class of 2028 is one of those situations.