Who is the Illinois girls high school basketball GOAT? Vote now!
Who is the Illinois girls high school basketball GOAT? Vote now!
Alyce Brown, USA TODAYFri, May 1, 2026 at 10:52 PM UTC
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Illinois has a history of churning out some incredible girls basketball talent - but who would make a list of the top 10 products?
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, that's a question USA TODAY Sports is looking to answer in celebration of the greatest American sports figures of all time, including the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
These are our selections for the basketball players who defined Illinois. The 10 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standout players at the high school level before playing at the next level.
Did we miss someone? There's a spot for you to write in your own candidate who wasn't included on our list of 10.
Tyra Buss, Mount Carmel
The Illinois high school record books belong to Buss. During her time at Mount Carmel she set still-standing state records for points, career scoring average and most free throws made, among others. That career scoring average was a whopping 38 points per game – and 45.8 her senior year – before she headed to Indiana University and became their all-time leading scorer.
Tamika Catchings, Stevenson
Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings (24) during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Staples Center on Aug. 18, 2011. The Sparks defeated the Fever 75-70.
Catchings split her high school years between Illinois and Texas, but we’ll count it. Before becoming a Tennessee and Indiana Fever legend, she was the youngest player to ever earn Illinois’ Ms. Basketball honor at 15 years old (and during her high school years in Texas, she was credited with the first quintuple-double at any level).
Kloe Froebe, Lincoln
The most recent player on this list, Froebe graduated in 2024 after spearheading Lincoln’s undefeated 38-0 season and ending with a state title. Her career point tally of 3,262 points is 5th all-time in the state record books.
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Yolanda Griffith, George Washington Carver
16. Sacramento Monarchs center/forward Yolanda Griffith won MVP in 1999.
A high school star in both basketball and volleyball, Griffith was a national standout from the very beginning of her career. A Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, she went on to play in the early years of the WNBA and was named the league’s MVP during her 1999 rookie season.
E.C. Hill, Whitney Young
Hill was the national No. 2 prospect coming out of high school in 1990 – second only to Lisa Leslie – and has since been inducted into the Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame. While starring at Whitney Young, she had a legendary 73-point game versus Austin High School and was a unanimous All-State selection.
Brittany Johnson, Olney
Although a domestic pro career didn’t come to fruition for Johnson, she left her mark at the high school level. She is second only to Tyra Buss in many of the state’s records, and she was the first Illinois high school basketball player of either gender to surpass 4,000 career points.
Jewell Loyd, Niles West
2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (Notre Dame)
Loyd’s illustrious (and still running) career, complete with three WNBA championship rings, started with the Wolves. She averaged 24.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game as a four-year starter and, along with many others on this list, was named Illinois Ms. Basketball.
Candace Parker, Naperville Central
Candace Parker had two dunks in the same game against Army.
One of the biggest – if not the biggest – names in women’s basketball started out turning heads in Naperville. She won back-to-back state championships and was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year twice consecutively before going on to become one of the greatest collegiate and professional players of all time.
Cappie Pondexter, John Marshall Metropolitan
Pondexter is one of those names that comes up again and again in Illinois basketball history. She was the first player in history to win Illinois Ms. Basketball twice, leading her team to a state title and an impressive 116-8 record over her four years there before becoming a WNBA legend.
Kim Williams, Marshall
A Marshall icon, Williams led them to three state titles and a 105-12 record over her four years before going on to star at DePaul.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vote for Illinois' all-time best girls high school basketball player
Source: “AOL Sports”
