Are the better or best girls basketball players concentrated in certain states? If so, what are the states with girls basketball players? And, why are these girls so good?
The Muse followed Division I (D1) Women’s College Basketball (WCBB) this year scanning rosters and hometowns. The trend is that many great girls players hail from certain states. While some states produce not very many players at all. Why is this so, and what are those productive girls basketball playing states?
States producing great girls and women basketball players include Maryland (MD), Minnesota (MN), California (CA), New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), Indiana (IN), Florida (FL), Iowa (IA), and our northern neighbor Canada (CAN). Generative artificial intelligence (AI) adds Georgia (GA), Virginia (VA), Tennessee (TN), North Carolina (NC), Texas (TX), Ohio (OH), and Oklahoma (OK) to the list. The Muse observes a fair number of girls players also coming from Illinois (IL), Nebraska (NE), Pennsylvania (PA), Wisconsin (WI), Kansas (KS), Missouri (MO), Michigan (MI), plus the Dakotas (ND and SD).
The above list omits 27 or so states as not producing many D1 WCBB players. What were the trends? What did the productive girls basketball states have in common? Why is this happening?
This analysis is not a participation inquiry, but rather a performance inquiry. Living in the Northeast, I noticed that not one New England state made the “having a concentration of productive girls basketball players” list. Based on the Muse’s observations at local girls high school games, its unsurprising.
It is not the geographic size of the states as CA and NJ are big and small, respectively. It is not climate either, as both warm (FL) and cold winter states (Midwest) make the list. Across the Midwest, there are very cold and early winters, yet their states produce great girls and women basketball players. Are there more travel teams or AAU programs due to socioeconomic factors? Yet a range of socioeconomics or per capita earnings are represented in the productive states. It is not political, as some states are deemed red, blue, or purple.
Are more gymnasiums open and available in these productive states? During a Paige Bueckers (UCONN and Dallas Wing) interview, she said “its too cold in MN. I was in the gym every day from 3rd grade on. There was nothing else to do.” It seems that gyms are open there in Hopkins, MN, Paige’s hometown. And MN made the list of states producing top girls basketball players.
Locally access to gyms can be problematic. There is a barrier to entry. Adult supervision and oversight of “after-school” activities on school grounds are required. Who is supervising the program? Are they insured? Is the responsible supervisor credentialed? Have they obtained proper permission? Is it a cumbersome permission process? Who is cleaning up? Who is turning off the lights? Who is locking the gym? Many custodial contracts do not accommodate extra activities. Are there funds available? Understandably high school gym space may be in use year round. But often the elementary and middle school gymnasiums remain unlit, unused, and closed. Are these the characteristics of the risk averse, litigious states? What about outdoor courts in the Fall and Spring? The Muse still doesn’t see young girls playing on them in her Northeastern state.
Hailey Van Lith (Louisville, LSU, TCU and Chicago Sky) on WNBA Draft night thanked her Father for leasing/renting time at the school gym across the street from 4 to 5 a.m. Not 4 to 5 p.m., rather a.m. Ordinary teenagers do no rise that early on their own. Only uber-motivated and special players do. Her Dad paid for and created access to the gym. Hailey hails from Wenatchee, Washington (WA and population 35,508), the Apple Capital of the world. Its located at the foothills of the Cascade Range, has one high school, and the cost of living is 18% higher that the national average. Although WA is not on the productive girls basketball player list, having a parent, Mom or Dad, who coaches, mentors, and cares does matter.
There is benefit when a Mom or Dad, or other adult who played basketball coaches young girls. Especially when the person in charge is likable, knowledgeable, instructive with fundamentals, committed, a good teacher, and can make basketball fun. Accomplished and athletic Moms and Dads want the same for their daughters as themselves or their sons. Kids know when the coach gives a darn. A team or program gains momentum when a player or Coach’s daughter has talent, skill, and athleticism, which is recognized at a very young age. It could be the beginning of a powerhouse, especially if they have skilled friends and siblings. This can start the basketball playing journey with the seeds of something great.
Elementary school age kids do look up to older kids. They always know the basketball and athletic achievement of the players before them in the older grades.
Does success breed success? The Muse believes, yes, it does. Good players want to play with other good players. Playing with boys on the playground makes girls better basketball players. Having older siblings, either girls or boys, help girls improve their basketball skills. Playing games with better players makes you a better player. When you are successful, other successful players are drawn to you, and you to them, as “everyone loves a winner.” Its magnetic. Success yields confidence and drives one to greater success. Winning is habit.
Admittedly there is active recruiting at every level of girls basketball. Skilled players are used to being picked, selected, and chosen. It begins at an early age. Do middle school elite travel teams recruit-yes. As do private and parochial high schools, AAU teams, college teams, and lastly the NCAA transfer portal. They all recruit selected players. Except for college, financial resources are needed to initially start the process and initially join a “select” team. This dynamic favors those players with means or from relatively upper middle class backgrounds.
For the scholastic year 2024-25, 56% of the top 25 girls basketball teams in the country were public high schools, while 44% were private/parochial high schools. All 25 high schools were from the 23 top producing girls basketball states and all sent players to D1 college teams.
Have ball, will travel. Momentum and well-organized AAU/Elite travel squads make a difference. The top productive states develop girls basketball talent at a young age. A knowledgeable Mom/Dad or responsible adult that coaches, teaches, and instructs is important for developing girls basketball players. Access to gyms for practices and games are important too. As are moderate financial resources. Competitive games and schedules, whereby girls continue to improve and develop new skills are vitally important.
About 23 states are right on track with great basketball programs for girls. The Muse’s analysis explains why those states produce great girls basketball players. More states should join the productive ranks and up their game of girls and youth basketball development.
From Basketball Clipart Scrappin Doodles. No copyright infringement is intended.