The last decade of Minnesota high school basketball could arguably be the best in the state’s history.

Paige Bueckers, one of the most notable faces in basketball, burst onto the national scene at Hopkins and Connecticut, becoming the first high school girls player in the process to be on the cover of Slam magazine in 2020.

“Some of the stuff she was doing in high school was crazy,” said Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren, who played at Minnehaha Academy around the same time. “She’s extremely talented and very well deserving of all the credit she gets.”

Holmgren, like Bueckers, soared to the No. 1 player ranking in the country as a senior at Minnehaha Academy, while also earning almost every high school national player of the year honor in 2021.

A Mount Rushmore of Minnesota hoopers of the last quarter century wouldn’t be complete without Holmgren’s buddy Jalen Suggs, who also starred for Minnehaha and Gonzaga, plus Apple Valley legend Tyus Jones. Suggs and Jones are now NBA teammates with Orlando.

“It’s great to see all that talent come out of Minnesota,” Holmgren said. “Especially knowing and seeing where we all came from.”

And why stop there. Here’s a holiday treat and something to debate over Christmas. A list of the top 25 boys and girls basketball players in the last 25 years (since the 2000-01 season), broken into categories.

Mount Rushmore

Paige Bueckers

Hopkins • 2020

NCAA player of the year. National champion. WNBA rookie of the year. Women’s sports cultural icon. There are many different ways to describe Bueckers’ impact and influence on the game. And that’s with a pro career, showing so much potential, only at the beginning. It all started as a St. Louis Park youth basketball sensation before leading Hopkins to four consecutive Class 4A championship game appearances, including the state title in 2019. She finished her prep career on a 62-game winning streak, including 30-0 as a senior before the 2020 state final was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s arguably the most influential basketball player from Minnesota since Lindsay Whalen. Rank: 1

Chet Holmgren

Minnehaha Academy • 2021

The 7-footer from Minneapolis is one of the most unique basketball players in today’s game. His shooting range, world-class shot blocking and ability to break down opponents off the dribble for his size first went viral in high school at a summer camp against NBA All-Star Steph Curry. His rise to stardom was swift, and he continued to dominate at Gonzaga before being selected as the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA draft by Oklahoma City, the highest ever for a Minnesotan. What Holmgren accomplished at Minnehaha Academy is underrated with a 128-15 record, four state titles and 456 blocks. That last number ranks sixth all time in state history. Rank: 2

Jalen Suggs

Minnehaha Academy • 2020

Conversations about the best multisport athletes in Minnesota history usually start with Joe Mauer and Dave Winfield, but they should never end without Suggs. Football scholarship offers from the Gophers, Georgia and Ohio State aside, the St. Paul native is possibly the best combo guard ever from the state. Standing 6-foot-4, the strong and springy Suggs led the Redhawks to three consecutive Class 2A state titles (alongside Holmgren) during his five-year career that included 2,945 career points before he starred at Gonzaga. When Suggs was selected No. 5 by the NBA’s Magic in 2021, he was the highest-drafted guard from Minnesota ever. Rank: 3

Tyus Jones

Apple Valley • 2014

True point guards are nearly extinct in basketball, from the NBA down to high school. That makes you appreciate Jones even more for what he meant to Minnesota high school hoops and beyond coming out of Apple Valley a decade ago. He could have run a college team as an eighth-grader, but he instead recorded 2,909 points and 1,031 assists in his high school career, which included a Class 4A title. Jones celebrating his national championship at Duke in 2015 was one of the most iconic Sports Illustrated covers in recent memory. Rank: 4

The record setters

Isaiah and Rebekah Dahlman

Braham • 2006 and 2013

The all-time Minnesota girls scoring mark belongs to former Braham star Rebeka Dahlman, who surpassed the 5,000-point career mark as a senior in 2013. Her older brother Isaiah finished his prep career with the boys scoring mark of 3,366 points, three straight state titles and 65 consecutive wins. They were Mr. and Miss Basketball in Minnesota. What a talented hoops family, which included five other hoops siblings and grandfather John Kundla, the legendary Gophers and Minneapolis Lakers coach.

Maddyn Greenway

Providence Academy • 2026

Greenway, the only active high school athlete on the list, became the first girls basketball player in state history to reach at least 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists for her career, which started in the seventh grade. The Kentucky recruit broke the all-time state record of 1,079 assists and was 413 points away from Minnesota’s career scoring record of 5,060 points through six games this season.

Tayler Hill

Minneapolis South • 2009

Any Mount Rushmore of girls players from Minnesota would have to include Hill, who ended her Minneapolis South career as the state’s all-time leading scorer with 3,888 points. She reached four Class 3A state championship games, winning the 2009 title and Miss Basketball before starring at Ohio State.

Cody Schilling

Ellsworth • 2008

Schilling, now the head coach at Division II Augustana (S.D.), would win a lot of games at that school if he could recruit a player who matches his offensive force from his high school days. Ellsworth went 63-3 and won back-to-back Class 1A state titles in 2007 and 2008 with Schilling, who finished his career with 3,428 points and 1,439 assists.

Carlie Wagner

New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva • 2014

A state tournament legend, Wagner finished her career as the record holder for state tournament career points (371), single-game points (53), single-game field-goals attempts (43) and more. Before becoming the third-leading scorer in Gophers history, she won Miss Basketball and led NRHEG to back-to-back Class 2A titles and 61 straight victories.

Left the nest

Nia Coffey

Hopkins • 2013

Before her brother won a state title with Hopkins, Nia gave Amir something to aspire to with her run of three straight state championships with the Royals, which included her 25-point, 16-rebound game in the 2013 final. She was a McDonald’s All-American and Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year as a senior before going to Northwestern.

Matthew Hurt

Rochester John Marshall • 2019

Matthew carried the torch after his older brother Michael, who played for the Gophers, with a notable prep career that ended with 3,819 points and 1,462 rebounds (both fourth all time in state boys history). He was a McDonald’s All-American before becoming the ACC’s leading scorer during his college career at Duke.

Tessa Johnson

St. Michael-Albertville • 2023

Receiving her college degree in less than three years at South Carolina is just part of her long list of impressive accomplishments. Johnson helped STMA win its first state title in 14 years with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game as a senior. She went from McDonald’s All-American to NCAA champion as a freshman with the Gamecocks in 2024.

Tre Jones

Apple Valley • 2019

Following in his brother Tyus’ footsteps wasn’t easy at Apple Valley and Duke, but Tre made a name for himself with three Class 4A state championship game appearances, including titles in 2015 and 2017. The younger Jones was a two-time Minnesota Gatorade player of the year and the Mr. Basketball Award winner as a senior.

Olivia Olson

Benidle-St. Margaret’s • 2024

In between Paige Bueckers and Maddyn Greenway, Olson was the Minnesota girls player who was a consensus five-star prospect and ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during her high school career. Before blossoming into a Big Ten star at Michigan, she led BSM to back-to-back Class 3A titles and was named Miss Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American as a senior.

Angel Robinson

St. Paul Central • 2007

The star of one of the best Minnesota girls high school teams ever, Robinson led Central to the Class 4A title and an undefeated season while earning 2007 Miss Basketball honors. She went on to be the first Marquette player with 1,500 points, 500 assists and 250 steals.

Reid Travis

DeLaSalle • 2014

Leader of the Islanders’ third straight Class 3A state championship team in 2014, Travis was the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year after averaging 26.1 points and nine rebounds as a senior. He was named a McDonald’s All-American before playing for Stanford and Kentucky.

Royce White

Hopkins • 2009

White was part of state championship teams at DeLaSalle and Hopkins, but White is mostly known for leading the Royals to a 31-0 record and winning Minnesota Mr. Basketball honors as a senior. He was one of the highest-ranked players to sign with the Gophers but ended up transferring to star at Iowa State before becoming a first-round pick in the NBA draft.

Stayed home

Rachel Banham

Lakeville North • 2011

Banham earned the nickname “Maroon Mamba” for scoring 60 points in a college game and breaking Lindsay Whalen’s Gophers all-time points record. Before that, she led Lakeville North to a 32-0 record and Class 4A state title in 2010 and earned Miss Basketball and Minnesota Gatorade player of the year honors in 2011.

Blake Hoffarber

Hopkins • 2007

Nobody will forget Hoffarber’s spectacular buzzer-beater with the Gophers, but sinking a shot while sitting on his backside as a sophomore in the state tournament made him a legend and the first high school athlete to win an ESPY Award in 2005. He led the Royals to consecutive Class 4A titles in 2005 and 2006 and earned Mr. Basketball honors as a senior.

Kris Humphries

Hopkins • 2003

One of the most physically dominant high school players during his time, Humphries was a McDonald’s All-American, USA Today All-American and Minnesota Mr. Basketball. He led the Royals to their first state title in 49 years as a junior. After he was picked in the NBA lottery after his freshman year in college in 2004, no Gophers player was drafted until Daniel Oturu in 2020.

Lawrence McKenzie

Patrick Henry • 2003

McKenzie helped his father, Larry, win four straight Class 3A championships from 2000 to 2003. They finished with a 114-12 record together. Lawrence averaged 22.5 points, 7.4 assists, 3.0 steals per game as a senior before playing for Oklahoma and the Gophers.

Liz Podominick

Lakeville • 2003

Podominick was the first McDonald’s All-American to play for the Gophers women’s team. The 6-2 post led Lakeville to three consecutive state championships. She was named Minnesota’s Miss Basketball after finishing her career with over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Rick Rickert

Duluth East • 2001

One of the most highly recruited Minnesota high school players, at 6-11, Rickert made headlines when he backed out on his commitment to Arizona to play for the Gophers. He averaged 29 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks to earn McDonald’s All-American and Mr. Basketball honors as a senior.

Kelly Roysland

Fosston • 2003

Before joining the Gophers, Roysland had one of the most successful high school careers in Minnesota history with five state titles (three in hoops and two in volleyball). On the hardwood, she scored 2,811 points and led her high school to a state-record 78 consecutive wins.

Basketball Across Minnesota

Fuller’s five

Five Minnesota ballers who stood out during the week of Dec. 15:

Baboucarr Ann, Maple Grove: The 6-5 junior established himself as the go-to scorer for the Crimson by averaging 26 points in three wins, including 33 points at Alexandria and 24 points at East Ridge.

Jaxon Boschee, Bemidji: The senior sharpshooter erupted for 43 points in a win vs. St. Michael-Albertville and 34 points in a victory over South St. Paul, combining to shoot 15-for-22 from three-point range and 19-for-19 from the free-throw line in the two games.

Natalie Bremer, Minnesota State: The 5-11 senior from Lake City averaged 26 points, five steals and five rebounds in wins at Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State to help the Mavericks improve to 13-0.

Avery Koenen, North Dakota State: The 6-3 junior and former Montevideo standout led the Bison during an eight-game winning streak, highlighted by her 29 points and 12 rebounds Dec. 16 in an 82-80 overtime win against Pepperdine.

Samantha Voll, Monticello: The St. Thomas recruit broke the school single-game scoring record Dec. 19 with 52 points in a 79-52 victory against Moorhead. Voll also became Monticello’s all-time girls scoring leader this season.

Minnesotans in the NBA: Tre Jones gets in a groove

Chicago Bulls guard and ex-Apple Valley standout Tre Jones had 11 points, including 7-for-7 on free throws, and five assists Dec. 21 in a 152-150 win at Atlanta in the highest-scoring NBA game this season. The Bulls were on a three-game winning streak entering Dec. 23, with Jones averaging 12.7 points and 7.3 assists during that stretch off the bench, which included 11 points, 11 assists and three steals in a Dec. 17 win vs. Cleveland.

College team of the week

The Southwest Minnesota State men got off to a slow start to the season with a 2-4 record. The Mustangs figured out how to turn their season around quickly with six straight victories heading into the Christmas break. Their biggest win came 64-54 at home Dec. 20 against St. Cloud State in a battle of first-place teams in the division. The Mustangs are off to 6-1 league start, best since 2016-17.

Minnesota Top 25 update

Can anyone beat Wayzata? The answer to that after a 88-65 win over Totino-Grace on Dec. 23 is no. The matchup between the No. 1 teams in Class 4A and 3A became one-sided midway through the first half when Isaac Olmstead caught fire on his way to 27 points on seven three-pointers. Fellow senior guard Nolen Anderson had most of his 23 points in the second half in front of his future Gophers coach, Niko Medved. The Trojans might not be tested anytime soon in Minnesota, but they play Wisconsin powers West Allis Central and Nicolet Dec. 29-30 in the Holiday Classic in Mequon, Wis.

Final thoughts ...

After battling the Wolves in a playoff-type atmosphere Dec. 19 at Target Center, Chet Holmgren put aside chatting with family after the game to give me a few minutes to talk about the 25 best high schoolers in 25 years after OKC’s loss. It was late. He was exhausted in the second game of a back-to-back. But that’s Chet. Super gracious. Super humble. Super cool role model for young ballers.

. . .

Basketball Across Minnesota will be published weekly on stribvarsity.com. Don’t be a stranger on X after reading, as chatting about these stories makes them even more fun to share. Thanks, Marcus (@Marcus_R_Fuller on X).