Women’s basketball: JuJu Watkins win prestigious award over Paige Bueckers

The voters have spoken. 

USC women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins was selected as the 2025 winner of the John R. Wooden Award Saturday, beating out UConn star Paige Bueckers. 

The other finalists were Lauren Betts of UCLA, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame and Madison Booker of Texas.

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JuJu Watkins is defended by Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen during the second half at the XL Center Dec. 21, 2024, in Hartford, Conn. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Watkins earned the award as a sophomore, becoming just the third underclassman to do so since the award was established in the 2003-04 season. 

WHO IS JUJU WATKINS? MEDIA-HYPED TEEN TRYING TO BREAK CAITLIN CLARK’S PRIZED RECORD

USC women’s basketball player Juju Watkins before a game at Cal St. Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif., Dec. 21, 2023. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Watkins was one of the most dominant players in the NCAA tournament before tearing her ACL in the second round. She is fourth in the nation in scoring with 23.9 points per game, along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in 33.8 minutes per game.

Watkins was also on pace to potentially break Caitlin Clark’s all-time NCAA scoring record before the ACL tear.

Bueckers, a senior, is still playing in the NCAA Tournament and will have a chance to win the championship after dominating UCLA 85-51 in the Final Four Friday. 

UCONN STAR PAIGE BUECKERS SAYS EMBRACING CHRISTIANITY IS BECOMING MORE COMMON IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers talks to the fans during senior night after a game against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion March 2, 2025 (David Butler II/Imagn Images)

She will try to lead her team to victory over Dawn Staley’s defending champion South Carolina squad.

Bueckers averaged 20 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season. 

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