Our top overall prospect in Arizona's 2024 Class is absolutely blowing up, as expected. Arizona Elite 5-foot-6 sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye is a tremendous talent and is our #1 overall prospect in Arizona's 2024 Class. While she has yet to receive her national ranking with ESPN, she is well on her way - blowing up after a strong performance on the club circuit. While playing for her Arizona Elite club program, alongside fellow stud 2023 prospect, 6-foot junior Mya Verse, Ijiwoye has proven nationally that she is well deserving of a high national ranking among the nation's elite talents in the class. As a result, Ijiwoye has received numerous Division-I offers for herself, as of late.
This summer and this week was big for Ijiwoye, as she received some serious Division-I offers from such programs as North Carolina, Michigan State, Arizona State, Miami, SMU, Fresno State and Eastern Michigan. Shay has absolutely blown up and will only continue to see many more offers come her way over the next couple years, as Division-I programs line up in an attempt to land this terrific young prospect.
Shay played for the Arizona Elite's 17U program as a mere rising sophomore guard, as the team had some serious success this summer - finishing in the Elite 8 in the Under Armour Nationals. As a result, she is now firmly in the mind and front and center for numerous Division-I programs across the country. I expect her to also receive a much higher national ranking among national scouting services across the country this fall, as new rankings are released - justifying what our staff has known for a long time - this young lady is a superior talent with future WNBA potential.
Shay already has a college-ready body, In fact, she may already have a pro body, as she is physically gifted with superior size and strength. She has muscles on her small, compact frame that many young men do not yet have, and she has a skill-set and feel for the game that are glaring. She is also a true-point guard that facilitates for her team and teammates, and creates off the dribble at a high level. She is a strong finisher in the lane and in the open floor. She also has a nice shooting stroke with range, and is simply very difficult for opposing guards to defend.
Shay has always played up with older competition, as she would absolutely destroy girl's prospects her own age. Shay has played with boys as well, which even have difficulty defending this young lady. As she continues to mature in age, she will most definitely continue to become more efficient in her play and look to define her already very mature skill-set, but she is exceptional very early in the process, and will benefit a great deal over time for the amazing experience she has received on the 17U level, being such a young talent.
Look for Shay to have a tremendous sophomore season, and become one of the highest recruited prospects in the country. She is now off to an amazing start in her college recruitment, and has made her case to be considered among the elite national talents in America's 2024 class. She is also an excellent student and has a terrific personality - attributes that will only make her college recruitment continue to soar at a high level.
