That last group was on display at the Nike TOC in Arizona last week, and they gave the assembled fans and college coaches a glimpse of the future -- both at the NCAA and WNBA level. And in fact, projecting some future Olympians is more than an idle exercise.
It all starts with Tina Charles, the top senior in the country. The 6-3 power forward for TOC winner Christ the King of New York was a monster every night out. She missed a two-handed dunk (though not by much) but made up for it with consistent strength and power inside. She's a prototypical four, with her ability to hit a wide open 15-footer and her presence in the paint, and barring injury, it's hard to see her as anything but a star.
She will go to UConn next year, and should step right into the starting lineup. Most high school kids have trouble adjusting to the physicality of the next level of play, but that shouldn't be a problem. What might be an issue, however, is defense, as Charles relies on her shotblocking ability rather than her footwork to control the opposition. There's no reason, however, to think that she can't be an outstanding defender -- it just appears she's never worked on it before.
Charles, even as a senior in high school, already has the look of a WNBA player, and it's certainly possible that she could wind up on the national team. There's always a place for a forward who rebounds and scores inside, and it sure looks like Charles is going to be capable of that no matter who the opposition is.
The other top senior is Amber Harris, a 6-6 bundle of talent (who wasn't at the Nike TOC). There's no question about her physical gifts, but there are some questions about her willingness to play hard every night out. Kara Braxton, now with the Detroit Shock, may turn out to be a relevant comparison, though Kristy Curry and Purdue are hoping that Harris' collegiate career runs much more smoothly.
The Class of '07 is led by the marvelous Maya Moore, a 6-1 forward for Collins Hill who put on an unbelievable show in Phoenix last week. Moore is much like Tamika Catchings in her devotion to defense, her quickness and her tenacity. She's not a great shooter, but she is incredibly quick off the ground, and a great athlete. There are some questions as to what position she will play (she's not quite comfortable enough on the perimeter to be a three, and she's not quite strong enough to be a four), but like Sophia Young of Baylor, she's a player who will force her way onto the court.
Everyone is in hot pursuit of Moore, with Tennessee the rumored leader, and she will be a superb college player (again, barring injury). To excel at the WNBA level, though, she will need to become a more consistent shooter, though her defense alone should find her a home in the league. The Olympics? Maybe. Moore, like Catchings, may be simply too good to keep off, but again, upgrading her offensive skills will be a necessity.
The other top junior is Angie Bjorklund of Washington, who also is thinking seriously about Tennessee. Bjorklund is a guard, though, and thus comparisons between her and Moore are difficult to make. Bjorklund, like Moore, has excelled on the summer circuit, and at 5-10, should have no problem adjusting to the collegiate game. Some wonder if she has realized most of her potential already and thus has less room to improve, but there's no question she's a superb young player.
Looking for sophomores who are sure things is usually a fool's errand, but you can take 6-4 Elena DelleDonne to the bank. The reason is simple: She shoots it as well as anyone at any level, and at 6-4, there's really no way to keep her from shooting. If she's guarded by a post, she's too quick; if she's guarded by a wing, she's too tall. And her stroke is all but perfect, and her range is well beyond the three.
And since DelleDonne is just a sophomore, there's every reason to believe she will grow stronger and add to her game as time goes on. Her brother plays football at Duke, so there might be an edge there, but DelleDonne is two years away from committing, so her collegiate direction is pretty much an unknown. What is known, though, is that she'll be a great scorer wherever she goes (she may give up a few, too), and it's hard to see her being anything less than a WNBA starter and a zone-busting international player.
Of course, there's a lot more talent out there than these five, and in fact it's not only probable, but likely, that some unknown will emerge who will eventually outshine them all. After all, look at Lindsay Whalen, perhaps the best American point guard. She would never have been mentioned in a story like this during her high school career, and it's quite possible that she'll be starting at the point in the 2008 Olympics.