Who is all-time greatest North Carolina girls high school basketball player?

Women's basketball players with ties to North Carolina have gone on to achieve at every level - they're WNBA All-Stars, NCAA champions and trailblazing legends. But when it comes down to it, who would be on a list of the state's top 10 talents of all time?

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, which includes the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.

More: Who is all-time greatest North Carolina high school football player?

With that in mind, these are USA TODAY's selections for players who defined high school basketball in North Carolina. The 10 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts at the high school level before they eventually went on to play at both the college and professional ranks.

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.

Mikayla Boykin, Clinton

Mikayla Boykin, a Duke commit, dominated at Duke's elite camp. / Boykin family

A prolific scorer, Boykin’s name is splashed across the North Carolina girls high school basketball record books. She holds the record for most points in a season with 1,159, alongside the No. 1 and No. 2 spots for most points in a game (63 and 62, respectively). She had three consecutive games of over 50 points her senior year, as well as three quadruple-doubles, and went on to play at Duke and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Jessica Breland, Bertie

Breland was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina her senior year, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game. She went on to play at the University of North Carolina before nine seasons in the WNBA, where she was named an All-Star in 2014 after leading the league in blocks that season.

Cierra Burdick, South Mecklenburg, Butler

Burdick split her high school years between South Mecklenburg and Butler, but that didn’t slow down her undeniable impact. She was one of five finalists for the Naismith National High School Player of the Year award her senior year, and led Butler to a 30-1 record, averaging 23.1 points and 15.4 rebounds. She played for Tennessee before playing four years in the WNBA.

Chasity Melvin, Lakewood

A member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, Melvin came out of high school as one of the nation’s top recruits. She capped off her high school career by leading Lakewood to the 1994 state championship with 37 points and 21 rebounds, then went on to lead North Carolina State to its first Final Four appearance and play 12 seasons in the WNBA.

Wendy Palmer, Person

Palmer was a volleyball star and high-jump record holder alongside her basketball accomplishments. And those basketball accomplishments were plenty – she averaged 35 points and 19 rebounds her senior year, and was named the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Female Athlete of the year for the 1991-92 season. She went on to an 11-year WNBA career.

Shea Ralph, Terry Sanford

Vanderbilt Head Coach Shea Ralph during the first quarter SEC Women's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina Friday, March 6, 2026.

Another multi-sport athlete, Ralph lettered in soccer, track and cross country during her high school years – but where she really left an impact was, of course, basketball. She averaged 33 points per game across her high school career, a state record that still stands, and was named the USA TODAY National High School Player of the Year in 1996. She went on to star and later coach at the University of Connecticut, and is now the head coach of the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team.

Charlotte Smith, Shelby

It’s been a long and successful career for Smith in North Carolina. At Shelby, she earned all-state honors and was her team’s MVP all four years, before going on to become one of only two women’s basketball players at the University of North Carolina to have their jersey retired and being named the National Player of the Year by ESPN in 1995. She is now the head women's basketball coach at Elon University, where she is the winningest in program history.

Azura Stevens, Cary

Connecticut Huskies forward Azura Stevens drives the ball against UCF Knights guard Nyala Shuler in the first half at the XL Center in Storrs, Conn.

Six-foot-six Stevens made quite a splash in her high school years, averaging 29.6 points and 18.1 rebounds per game her senior year alongside 21 double-doubles. After a college career that was split between Duke and the University of Connecticut, Stevens was taken sixth overall in the 2018 WNBA draft and is still enjoying success in the league.

Andrea Stinson, North Mecklenburg

Stinson’s name is a dominant one in North Carolina basketball history. She scored 2,135 points across her high school career and was named the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1987, the same year she led her team to an unbeaten season. She went on to become an All-American at North Carolina State and a three-time WNBA All-Star.

Sarah Strong, Fuquay-Varina, Grace Christian

Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (55) against South Carolina Gamecocks during the semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The most recent North Carolina grad on this list, Strong is already making a name for herself. She left high school ranked No. 1 in her recruiting class after leading Grace Christian to three state titles and earning accolades that included Naismith High School Girls Player of the Year. She’s now making a splash at the University of Connecticut, averaging 18.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in her recently completed sophomore season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vote for North Carolina's top girls high school basketball legend