November marks the beginning of the basketball season in Arizona. Following a stellar Summer on both the club circuit and with their high school teams these athletes have separated themselves as potentially the best players in the state entering the 2025-26 season.
Inclusion on this list doesn’t guarantee that an athlete will win the award in March. Same with not being on the list now.
Year in and year out players rise and fall and with the deepest talent pool the AIA has ever seen, it’s possible that this could be the best race ever for player of the year.
Cameron Holmes, Senior, Millennium
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 20.4 Points, 7.2 Rebounds, 5.3 Assists
The Millennium senior has done it all during his career. He’s led the program to four straight open divisions and two championship games. The one thing left to do is to win a ring and this year will be his and the program’s best chance to do it as they enter the 2025-26 season as the favorite to win the AIA’s top bracket. Maxpreps announced on Nov. 4 that Millennium will start the year ranked No. 8 nationally.
Adan Diggs, Sophomore, Millennium
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 17.0 Points, 5.2 Rebounds and 3.8 Assists
A huge reason as to why Millennium is a heavy favorite to win the open is due to the play from potentially the best prospect nationally in the 2028 class, Adan Diggs. After starting his freshman year at Williams Field, Diggs made the move west during the Summer and helped the Tigers turn heads nationally during both Section 7 and CaliLive.
Cameron Williams, Senior, St. Mary’s
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 20.4 Points, 12.4 Rebounds, 3.7 Assists
One of the most coveted prospects the state of Arizona has ever seen enters his senior year hoping to add another championship to his belt before he goes to play college basketball.
Williams has shot up recruiting boards since the start of last season and is currently ranked as high as No. 3 in the 2026 recruiting rankings by at least one service.
Jakyi Miles, Sophomore, Mesa
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 19.9 Points, 6.1 Rebounds, 3.2 Assists
Another special Sophomore in Arizona is Kyi Kyi Miles who took the state by storm last season as he helped lead Mesa to the 6A championship game and earning MaxPreps national Freshman of the Year.
The next step for Miles will be to help lead a much healthier Mesa team to the Elite Eight of the Open Division if not further.
Mason Magee, Senior, Basha
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 18.5 Points, 4.6 Assists, 1.5 Steals
Flying under the radar in the conversation of player of the year and open champions is Mason Magee and the Basha Bears. Last season, Magee battled through injury which ultimately cost the Bears a chance to return to the Final Four of the open division.
With Magee healthy, the San Francisco bound point guard has the skills to possibly lead Basha to the open division championship and keep the trophy within the Chandler Unified district, a place it hasn’t left since its inception four years ago.
Rider Portela, Senior, Sunnyslope
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 13.2 Points, 5.1 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists
One of the most under appreciated players in the state has been the do it all guard Rider Portela from Sunnyslope. He’s never been one to takeover the game in a flashy way but rather attack you in a cerebral sense and make you earn it against him and the Vikings.
Sunnyslope enters 2025-26 ranked No. 10 nationally by Maxpreps and looks to return to the open division championship game led by Portela for the third time in four years.
Andre Tyler, Senior, Higley
No 2024-25 Stats listed by Simeon (IL)
No player captured the attention of everyone in Arizona during Section 7 quite like Andre Tyler. Fresh off the plane from Chicago had a massive game against top prospect Maximo Adams from Sierra Canyon and made it clear that the 2026 class had gotten even more impressive in Arizona.
Tyler will be joined by a starting five of multiple elite freshmen and experienced Knights and he’s a key reason why many believe Higley can reach the Final Four of the open division in 2025-26.
John Mattingly, Senior, Central
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 24.3 Points, 5.9 Rebounds, 5.2 Assists
After leaving Sunnyslope, there was no doubt that John Mattingly would be a force in the 5A conference. And last season, Mattingly dominated the competition as he helped lead Central to its first basketball championship and was the best player in the conference.
Now comes higher expectations as the Bobcats have a tougher schedule and many believe could be the best team in the conference and bound for a spot in the Elite Eight of the Open Division.
Hale Hansen, Senior, Brophy
Missed the 2024-25 season due to injury
After missing last season, Hansen shot out of a cannon during both club season and during the team session of Summer to enter this year as one of the contenders for player of the year.
An athletic and dynamic prospect captured Division 1 attention during the offseason which ultimately led to his commitment to Montana State. With him back healthy hecould be key in leading Brophy back to a 6A championship or to the Open Division.
Colby Jessup, Senior, Valley Christian
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 23.7 Points, 4.6 Rebounds, 2.1 Assists
It’s not often a player from a smaller school is in contention for an award like this. But make no mistake, Colby Jessup is not your average small school player.
The Valley Christian senior will be key to whether or not the Trojans repeat as Copper Division champions and if he’s on his game, there’s almost nobody that can stop him.
Darius Wabbington, Junior, Sunnyslope
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 13.4 Points, 7.3 Rebounds
Another coveted prospect is 6’10 Darius Wabbington who is the prototypical modern big man.
A spacing shooter who controls the post for Sunnyslope who year in and year out has one of the best defenses in Arizona and his two-way ability is the x-factor to the Vikings open championship chances.
Adrian Stubbs, Senior, Maryvale
2024-25 Per Game Stats: 27.3 Points, 8 Rebounds, 6.3 Steals
There’s players who have the ability to takeover the game with ease, and then there’s players who have the ability to shut down the gym.
Maryvale senior Adrian Stubbs can do both. The guard had the state abuzz last year after a 56 point triple double in an upset over 2024 6A state champion Liberty and has the ability to replicate that type of performance every night. If he can get the Vale to more wins in 2025-26, Stubbs could be a finalist for the award in March.
Also Considered
- Micah Andrews, Deer Valley
- Maurice Carter II, Willow Canyon
- Marcus Isaac, Mountain Pointe
- Melvin Stubbs, Sandra Day O’Connor
- LJ Diamond, Perry
- Jase Benjamin, San Tan Charter
- Myles Godfrey, Cactus Shadows
- JD Jones, Phoenix Country Day
- Mason Kendrick, Arcadia
- KJ Fauske, Seton Catholic
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