Sunflower League 2026s Debuting in the Rankings

Of the more than two dozen leagues contributing players to the initial 2026 class rankings the Sunflower League has the most. Here's a look at the nine making their initial appearance.   [player_tooltip player_id='536974' first='Jessica' last='Borders'], 5'11", SF, Olathe West - A Sunflower League honorable mention selection, my colleague Earl Austin saw her game late last October. He described her as a versatile offensive player and excellent athlete. He also like her motor, especially in the transition game. Borders can attack off the dribble and score as well as hit the pull-up jumper.   [player_tooltip player_id='544005' first='Kyra' last='Clark'], 5'9", F, Olathe Northwest - Late last October at a Missouri Phenom tryout my colleague Earl Austin found himself impressed with Clark's energy and aggressive play on both ends. He liked her physicality and ability to get a rebound in a crowd as well. A very downhill driver with the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='544006' first='Lexi' last='Cooley'], 5'5", PG/SG, Olathe West - Cooley made a impact this season with her speed, quickness, hustle, and defense. My colleague Grant McGinnis liked her so much last April at the PGH Legacy Classic that we wrote twice about her. First in his best of Saturday article. Second when he included her in his 14U all-tournament team. In both articles he raved about her being all over the floor, playing with pace, ball handling, blow-by speed, and passing ability under pressure. He found her to to be a smart, confident player who was fun to watch.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/10/7-Danae-Copeland.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-530826" width="105" height="105" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Olathe North 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='525599' first='Danae' last='Copeland']. Photo: Prep Girls Hoops.</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='525599' first='Danae' last='Copeland'], 5'5", PG, Olathe North - Copeland has the physical baseline to be a very good player in the years ahead. At the PGH Kansas Top 250 in Shawnee last October she showed decent handles including with speed and finishing ability with her left especially. Defensively her hand speed enables her to get her hands on the ball of a driver. I look forward to seeing her over the summer because her natural ability make As her shot selection improves, elevation on her perimeter jumper increases, and her ability to read and make the entry pass to the roller/slipper off the high screen is consistently shown her natural ability will improve the overall effectiveness of her game.   [player_tooltip player_id='544011' first='Laila' last='Johnson-Berndt'], 5'9", CG, Olathe North - My colleague Grant McGinnis also selected Johnson-Berndt to the PGH Legacy Classic 14U all-tournament team last summer. By early in the second half of her first game he knew she was one to keep watching. He liked her athleticism, focus, and ability to play with tempo and bounce. He also said she was dialed in on defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='544012' first='Chloe' last='Kmiecik'], 5'8", SF/SG, De Soto - An impact player on JV this past season, she continues to build on what Lena Wells saw at PGH Live in May of 2021. Wells liked her handles, creativity on the finish, and feel for the game. Kmiecik was also described as quick, patient, and a willing distributor to open teammates.   [player_tooltip player_id='351760' first='Asia' last='Lee'], 5'9", PG/SG, Olathe North - Lee had a terrific freshman season. While Eagles fell short of returning to the 6A state tournament, her work for the team was rewarded with selection to the Sunflower League second team. There is a great deal to like about Lee's game that takes advantage of her length, quickness, and athleticism. She can be really disruptive in the passing lanes. A real steal machine in stretches that she turns into points with her solid ball speed. Lee also can get inside off the bounce and use her talents to finish over defenders with extension. She can light up on the perimeter with range, piling up several three pointers. If there is one thing I would like to see improved is her ability to battle strong, physical opponents on both ends of the floor. At the PGH Top 250 last October in Shawnee she ran into one of the best '25 point guards in Missouri and Lee struggled on both ends.   [player_tooltip player_id='545023' first='Hannah' last='Lester'], 5'3", PG, Olathe West - Lester was caught in somewhat of a log jam this past season, playing behind several strong graduating seniors. Watch out next season. Let's start with her speed. Now, I have not kept a mental tally of players, much less of her age and size, who can go end-to-end in seven dribbles. She is one of the few that can. In transition with the ball she keeps her head up to look for and make the leading pass for a layup. She will run down the long leading pass too. Complete with left and right hand finishing ability, Lester can hurt opponents scoring in other ways. She has a smooth release three point shot, slashing across the lane half-hook something, and the soft mid-range jumper.   [player_tooltip player_id='544056' first='Landri' last='Schaffer'], 5'10", CG, Gardner-Edgerton - My colleague Earl Austin saw the future first team Sunflower League selection last September at a Missouri Phenom tryout. It all starts with her court vision. She used her length well to see the court and deliver a solid pass with either hand. He also liked her comfortability in playing both on the wing and at the point. She could get into the lane and use her size to score over smaller defenders. Schaffer also displayed three point shooting ability. Defensively Austin noted her ability to combine her length with good anticipation to generate deflections and steals. Schaffer finished the season as teh #3 scorer in the league at 17 points per game.

Of the more than two dozen leagues contributing players to the initial 2026 class rankings the Sunflower League has the most. Here's a look at the nine making their initial appearance.