Justice Carlton was named to the 2022 Jr. NBA Court of Leaders on Thursday, as the junior will have the chance to be around groups of leaders, mentors and both WNBA and NBA staff and players for the next year as she takes part in the council.

Carlton was one of just 12 high school youth basketball players chosen from around the country to participate in the council for the following year. Carlton was chosen as being one of the top youth basketball players who has also demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities in elite tournaments, camps and competitions across the country.

The council aims to empower the young men and women chosen to participate by providing resources to develop them as leaders while also offering a platform to amplify their voices in their communities and across youth basketball. Members participate in personal development programing focused on leadership, decision-making, mental wellness and civic engagement.

Carlton and the other 11 athletes will have a chance to meet with the NBA’s youth basketball development team four times over the next year where they will have a chance to give their thoughts on enhancing the Jr. NBA programs and learn about career opportunities in the sports industry and will also have a chance to collaborate on social responsibility projects centered around ways that each athlete can positively impact their communities.

Carlton and the other chosen players will each be assigned a mentor from across the NBA, WNBA and G-League to help them through their development and provide the players with guidance. There will also be players from WNBA and NBA teams serving as co-chairs of the council, last year Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies serves as co-chairs for the first ever Jr. NBA Court of Leaders.

Members will have a chance to attend educational trips and receive access to unique learning opportunities throughout the year and it kicks off this weekend, as Carlton will take part in a trip to Washington D.C. where she will have a chance to tour the White House, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the United States Holocause Museum, attend an NBA and receive a tour of the Capital One Arena and be part of a youth leadership development workshop and basketball workout session.

ESPNW has Carlton as the No. 3 ranked recruit in the Class of 2024 and a five-star with a 97 grade. She is the highest ranked recruit in Texas in the class.