Kate Harpring wins Naismith Award as nation’s best girls basketball player
Kate Harpring’s high school basketball career ended with a state championship last Thursday, but she’s not finished collecting trophies yet.
On Tuesday, Harpring won the Naismith Award, given to the top high school girls basketball player in the country. She is the fifth Georgian to win the award and the first to win it since Westlake’s Raven Johnson in 2021.
Harpring, the top-ranked senior prospect in the country, broke the GHSA’s career scoring record as she led Marist to a 58-50 Class 4A state final win over Kell.
“It’s amazing to do it with this great group of people,” Harpring said. “It’s so fulfilling. We’ve been working so hard for this moment, and we put everything into it. I’m just so happy.”
Harpring scored 40 points, the highest individual scoring total of all the GHSA finals last week. She finished her career with 3,435 points, surpassing Athens Academy’s Jill Razor, who previously held the career scoring record with 3,399 points.
Marist coach Kim Hixon said Harpring showed toughness in the championship win.
“I’m pretty sure her shoulder popped out tonight, and I was trying to get a timeout but she didn’t want to do that,” Hixon said after the championship. “It’s all about the team and what the team can do.
“We’ve just been so blessed to have her. She will be remembered for the rest of history at Marist.”
Harpring had scholarship offers to play for blue-blooded programs all over the country. She ultimately chose to sign with North Carolina over other elite programs like UConn, Tennessee and South Carolina.
Harpring is also the daughter of longtime NBA forward Matt Harpring, who also played at Marist.
Naismith Award winners from Georgia
About the Author
Jack Leo is a sports writer and reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jack worked for the AJC throughout his four years studying journalism and sports media at Georgia State University and the University of Georgia. He's now focused on telling stories in the grassroots: bringing comprehensive coverage of high school sports for AJC Varsity.
