OTRW PRESENTS: Georgia’s Top Senior Talents this Century (Classes 2000–Present)

Georgia has been a pipeline for elite women's basketball talent. This is a survey that commemorates the top graduating seniors each year since 2000. Selections draw from Miss Georgia Basketball winners, McDonald's All-Americans, recruiting rankings, and long-term success. While underclassmen sometimes stood out as the state's best overall player in a particular year, this analysis focuses on seniors.

Criteria for Selection:

1. McDonald’s All-American participant (girls game began in 2002)

2. Miss Georgia Basketball (Atlanta Tipoff Club award, usually for seniors)

3. Industry recruiting rankings and accolades as a senior

4. College and/or professional career success

5. Post-playing contributions to basketball

Note: This spotlights the premier senior each year. In cases where a junior or underclassman stood out as potentially the state's best overall player, the senior with the strongest resume is selected.

Part 1: Classes 2000-2009

2000 – Christi Thomas

High School: Buford
National Ranking: Nationally Rankings Unreliable in this era
Post-Season Accolades: Miss Georgia Basketball 2000
College: Georgia – SEC Freshman of the Year, 3x All-SEC
Pro: Los Angeles Sparks (2004 draft), overseas (Spain, Russia, Latvia)

Before the McDonald’s All-American game was offered for female players, Georgia boasted legends who would impact the game for decades. Most notable is Buford alum Christi Thomas, often described as a pioneer of girls’ basketball in Buford. The 6-foot-4 center played four seasons at Georgia under Hall of Fame coach Andy Landers. She was inducted into the Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

2001 – Nikita Bell

High School: Spencer
National Ranking: No. 47 Blue Star
Post-Season Accolades: Miss Georgia Basketball 2001, Class AAAA Player of the Year, All-state, WBCA Honorable Mention All-America
College: North Carolina – 1,200+ points, 500+ rebounds, 300+ steals, ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Pro: Detroit Shock (2nd round, 2005 draft)

This was the last year women were not invited to the McDonald’s All-American game. Georgia’s Miss Basketball was Nikita Bell, a 6-foot wing from Spencer High School. She played four years at North Carolina under Hall of Fame Coach Sylvia Hatchell and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

2002 – Sherill Baker

High School: Greater Atlanta Christian
National Ranking: Regional top prospect
Post-Season Accolades: Miss Georgia Basketball 2002, 2x state champion, 2,200+ career points
College: Georgia – SEC Defensive Player of the Year, 4x NCAA Tournament
Pro: New York Liberty (1st round, 2006 draft), 4 WNBA seasons, college coach (current: Bucknell Assoc. Head), SEC Hall of Fame

The inaugural McDonald’s All-American game may have included the first Georgia snub. Sherill Baker, a 5-foot-9 guard, was named Miss Georgia Basketball after leading Greater Atlanta Christian to two state championships. She played for Hall of Fame Coach Andy Landers at Georgia, earning a reputation as a tough defender and clutch scorer. She later coached at Kennesaw State, Auburn, Georgia State, and George Washington before becoming Associate Head Coach at Bucknell.

2003 – Katie Hamilton

High School: Parkview
National Ranking: None prominent
Post-Season Accolades: Gwinnett County Player of the Year, All-metro, 2nd-team all-state, Class 5A state champion
College: Davidson – 2x All-Southern Conference, 2nd in school 3-pointers
Pro: None

Katie Hamilton, a 5-foot-11 wing, helped lead Parkview to its first Class 5A state championship. She was named Gwinnett County Player of the Year her senior year and earned All-Southern Conference honors twice at Davidson.

2004 – Tasha Humphrey

High School: Gainesville
National Ranking: Top-10 national, Parade All-American
Post-Season Accolades: 2x Miss Georgia Basketball (2003–2004), 2x Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year, McDonald's All-American 2004, WBCA All-American
College: Georgia – SEC Freshman of the Year, USBWA National Freshman of the Year, All-SEC First Team, Multiple All-American, 2x Elite Eight
Pro: Detroit Shock (11th overall, 2008 draft), overseas, SEC Legend 2017

Tasha Humphrey, a 6-foot-3 forward, was Georgia’s second McDonald’s All-American (after Kasha Terry in 2002). She remains Gainesville’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She played four seasons at Georgia under coach Landers, earning immediate All-American recognition and helping the Lady Dawgs to two Elite Eight appearances. She was honored as an SEC Women’s Basketball Legend in 2017.

2005 – Angel Robinson

High School: Marietta
National Ranking: No. 7 Blue Star, No. 11 All-Star Girls Report
Post-Season Accolades: Miss Georgia Basketball 2005, McDonald's All-American 2005, WBCA All-American, Parade/SLAM All-American, Jersey retired
College: Georgia – 1,100+ points, 1,000 rebounds (4 seasons)
Pro: Los Angeles Sparks (2nd round, 2010 draft), overseas

Angel Robinson, a 6-foot-6 center, was the first female athlete from Marietta High School to have her jersey retired. After redshirting her freshman year due to injury, she played four seasons at Georgia. She was inducted into the Marietta Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

2006 – Ashley Houts

High School: Dade County
National Ranking: Consensus Top 50 Prospect Nationally, Parade 2nd-team All-American
Post-Season Accolades: McDonald's All-American 2006, Class AA Player of the Year, Georgia Metros AAU national champion
College: Georgia – Multiple All-SEC, 1,500+ points, 565 assists, 4x NCAA Tournament, SEC Freshman of the Year 2007
Pro: New York Liberty (16th overall, 2010 draft), college coach (Missouri State, ETSU)

Ashley Houts, a 5-foot-6 point guard from Dade County, continued the line of Peach State standouts named to the McDonald’s All-American game and then playing at Georgia. She was part of the Georgia Metros AAU team that won a national title in Orlando. She later coached at Missouri State and ETSU.

2007 – Maya Moore

High School: Collins Hill
National Ranking: No. 1 overall (ESPN 98 grade)
Post-Season Accolades: 2x Naismith Prep Player of the Year, 2X Miss Georgia Basketball 2006, 2007, Gatorade National Athlete of the Year, McDonald's All-American 2007, Morgan Wootten Award, 3x state champion, National High School Champion
College: UConn – 3,036 points (all-time leader), National Player of the Year 2009 & 2011, 4x First-Team All-American, 2x national champion
Pro: Minnesota Lynx (1st overall, 2011 draft), 4x WNBA Champion, 2014 WNBA MVP, 5x All-WNBA First Team

Maya Moore, a 6-foot wing, played four years at Collins Hill under Coach Angie Hembree. The Lady Eagles went 125-3 and won three state championships, including the 2007 National High School Championship. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA and signed with UConn under Geno Auriemma. In Storrs, she was part of the 90-game winning streak (an NCAA record) and helped the Huskies to four Final Fours and two national titles.

2008 – Alicia Manning

High School: Etowah
National Ranking: No. 15 ESPN Hoopgurlz
Post-Season Accolades: Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year 2008, McDonald's All-American 2008, state champion, 1,400+ points, 1,100+ rebounds
College: Tennessee – Key contributor under Pat Summitt
Pro: College coach, current Prep Hoops women's basketball coverage

Alicia Manning, a 6-foot-1 wing from Etowah High School, was named Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year in 2008 and led the Lady Eagles to a state championship. She signed with Tennessee to play under Pat Summitt. She later coached collegiately before returning to Georgia, where she now covers women’s basketball for Prep Hoops.

2009 – Anne Marie Armstrong

High School: Wesleyan School
National Ranking: No. 41 ESPN Hoopgurlz
Post-Season Accolades: 2x Miss Georgia Basketball 2008, 2009, 3x state basketball champion (10 total state titles across sports)
College: Georgia – Sweet 16 x2, Elite Eight 2013
Pro: Atlanta Dream draft, current media commentator

Anne Marie Armstrong, a 6-foot-3 wing from Wesleyan School, captured 10 state championships (three in basketball, three in volleyball, four in track high jump). She was named Miss Georgia Basketball her senior year and signed with Georgia under coaches Andy Landers and Joni Taylor. Her versatility helped the Dawgs reach the Sweet 16 twice and the Elite Eight in 2013. She was drafted by the Atlanta Dream and remains active in women’s basketball as a media commentator.

Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director, and evaluator. You can reach him at CoachHemi@gmail.com and follow him on X @CoachHemi and Instagram @Coach_Hemi.