Story By Druw Giamalva

Albertville Lady Aggie senior Lani Smallwood added another notch to her legendary high school career on Friday as she was named the 2025-2026 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Alabama. Smallwood, a basketball signee for the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs, just completed her senior year at Albertville where she led the Aggies to a second-straight appearance to the Class 7A Elite Eight. Smallwood is the first Albertville Aggie to earn the statewide award. 

Smallwood averaged 25.3 points per game for the Aggies while also producing 8.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.5 steals. Smallwood finishes her high school career with 3,111 points and 1,094 rebounds. Smallwood’s scoring total would have her sit at 21st in AHSAA history. 

Smallwood began her high school playing career at Susan Moore before transferring to play at Albertville in 2024. Coached by her mother, Natasha Smallwood, they would go on to transform Albertville girls basketball into a powerhouse program as they finished with a 29-4 record, falling one win short of an all-time Aggies’ record for wins in Lani’s junior season. 

Albertville would follow up with another impressive year in Lani’s senior season as the Aggies finished 28-5. With Lani’s impressive play, she was also chosen to play in the Alabama-Mississippi Classic on March 14 in Clinton, Mississippi. Smallwood would shine in the classic as she led Alabama with a team-high 12 points along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in 18 minutes. Scoring 12 points along with Smallwood were Missouri commit Khloe Ford and Alabama-Mississippi Classic MVP Hannah Smith. 

Smallwood will now look forward to a playing career in college as she joins Mississippi State who recently just finished 18-13 (5-11 in SEC play) in 2026. Smallwood is ranked as a four-star recruit and as the number one girls basketball player in the state of Alabama.