(Correction: An earlier model of this text included an incorrect order on our All-America groups. Paige Bueckers is a member of The Athletic’s All-America first crew, and Ta’Niya Latson is a second-team All-America choice.)
With the common season within the rearview, The Athletic’s crew of devoted writers and contributors bought collectively to take inventory of all the pieces they’ve witnessed since November and made some powerful choices about one of the best of one of the best in a powerful 12 months of hoops. A few of their preseason predictions got here true as 4 preseason All-America members have been additionally on the season-end first-team.
However two massive surprises they didn’t see coming? Two freshmen who’ve been steadying forces on their respective groups and performed their approach onto the second crew in a really deep 12 months in girls’s faculty hoops.
The committee — Chantel Jennings, Sabreena Service provider, Ben Pickman, Zena Keita and Mark Schindler — every ranked their high 10 gamers, and totals have been tallied to find out this season’s year-end accolades.
(Stats as of March 2)
First crew
JuJu Watkins, USC
Sophomore wing
Stats: 24.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.1 spg, 2.0 bpg
The truth that the race for nationwide participant of the 12 months was undecided till the penultimate day of the season, and that lastly — on the final day — the selection grew to become unanimously Watkins, says rather a lot concerning the sophomore’s capability to rise to the largest moments of the 12 months. Her 30 factors, 5 assists, two steals and three blocks within the Massive Ten common season championship recreation in opposition to UCLA in the end gave her the ultimate edge over Lauren Betts.
Watkins confirmed what we’ve seen from her all season. A scorer’s mentality. A defensive playmaker. An acute consciousness of how a lot her crew wants her on the ground (after selecting up her third foul within the early components of the second quarter, she didn’t foul once more via the remainder of the sport). Final season, as a freshman, Watkins proved herself as one of the best first-year participant in America. This season, you possibly can take away any qualifier. She was one of the best participant. Full cease.
Cheryl Miller 🤝 JuJu Watkins
Miller HYPED with JuJu’s massive night time 🙌
(by way of @CBBonFOX)
pic.twitter.com/RzyT8XKIeM— Yahoo Sports activities (@YahooSports) March 2, 2025
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Junior heart
Stats: 19.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.8 bpg
Solely 4 energy convention gamers up to now decade have averaged 19-plus factors, nine-plus rebounds and a pair of.5-plus assists via a full season: Napheesa Collier, Aerial Powers, Nia Coffey … and now Betts. It’s not unhealthy firm to maintain. In her second 12 months with UCLA, Betts was the principle cause the Bruins maintained the No. 1 rating the vast majority of the season, and her dominance within the paint can also be the Bruins’ greatest shot at a nationwide title. An elite rim protector, defensive magnet who creates higher area and freedom for her teammates and one of many nation’s high offensive rebounders — Betts proved her worth day by day for UCLA.
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Sophomore guard
Stats: 24.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 spg
Few gamers, if any, can stat-stuff like Hidalgo. She’s an improved 3-point shooter and for the second consecutive 12 months, she lights up opponents on offense and disrupts them on protection. She is first nationally in defensive win shares and leads the ACC in win shares for the second time in two seasons. Her manufacturing is integral to all the pieces the Irish obtain, and a giant cause Notre Dame will definitely be a top-two seed for the second consecutive 12 months. Hidalgo might have one other All-American taking part in alongside her in Olivia Miles in addition to one other possible 2025 first-round WNBA draft choose (Sonia Citron), however Hidalgo can also be a power unto herself. She is wise sufficient to deliver out one of the best in her teammates, but expert sufficient to take over video games when the scenario warrants.
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Fifth-year senior guard
Stats: 18.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2 spg
After her (in all probability) ultimate regular-season recreation in Gampel Pavilion, Bueckers was inducted into the Huskies’ Ring of Honor and added to UConn’s spectacular checklist of nationwide gamers of the 12 months (honoring her freshman season), marking the close to finish of a outstanding faculty profession. She provides yet one more All-America honor to her resume. Bueckers’ hallmark — her clutch scoring gene — was on show this season as she ranked among the many high 20 gamers nationally in factors per play (1.17), however she was additionally the one participant within the nation in main hoops to common higher than a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio this season.
Madison Booker, Texas
Sophomore wing
Stats: 16.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.6 spg
Among the finest freshman courses in latest reminiscence has solely gotten higher as sophomores, with Watkins and Hidalgo reprising their 2024 All-America campaigns and Booker becoming a member of them on this 12 months’s first crew. Now in her pure place on the wing with the return of level guard Rori Harmon, Booker has been a extra environment friendly scorer and impactful defender in her second season. She is the No. 1 choice for the SEC champs, on monitor to seize her second convention participant of the 12 months award. Booker has additionally been emboldened to assault the offensive glass with out as many playmaking obligations, and it follows that the Longhorns are second within the nation in second-chance factors.
Second crew
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Senior ahead
Stats: 17.8 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 2.6 spg
The double-double queen has had a minimum of 10 factors and 10 rebounds in 26 of her 30 video games this season and is main the nation in offensive rebounds and complete boards. Regardless of being undersized as an influence ahead, Morrow has held up as a 4 within the SEC and even performed a big quantity of heart for the Tigers due to her motor and quickness. She is nineteenth nationally in complete steals, fueling a top-10 LSU protection and jump-starting the Tigers in transition.
Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
Junior guard
Stats: 26.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.6 rpg
Latson is among the nation’s most prolific offensive gamers. She led the NCAA in scoring, changing into one among simply two gamers to have a number of performances in opposition to opponents of a minimum of 20 factors and 7 assists. Regardless of being 5-foot-8, Latson is fearless in attacking the basket. She attracts 6.4 fouls per recreation, which leads the nation. Latson is the engine in Florida State’s high-scoring assault, and her greatness has been on show all through the season. Simply final week in opposition to Notre Dame, Latson performed one of the best of any All-American within the recreation, ending with 23 factors, 9 assists and 5 rebounds within the Seminoles’ upset street win. Her recreation winner in opposition to North Carolina in late January is among the highlights of the season.
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Senior guard
Stats: 16.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 6.0 apg, 41.3 3-pt FG%
Miles was arguably the nation’s greatest passer earlier than tearing her ACL, able to manipulating the protection within the half court docket and in transition with brute power and aptitude. She added an elite soar shot to her offensive arsenal this season, hitting 41.3 p.c of her 3s whereas nonetheless connecting on 70 p.c of her makes an attempt within the restricted space. She may be probably the most full offensive guard in Division I along with her combo of passing and scoring, and she or he helms one of the crucial devastating offenses heading into the NCAA Event.
Sarah Robust, UConn
Freshman ahead
Stats: 16.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.5 bpg
Since 2009, the one participant to ever have a 15-point, eight-rebound, three-assist season as a freshman is Robust. She was one among two gamers to begin each recreation for the Huskies this season, and her capability to impression each aspect of the sport made her a crucial a part of UConn’s success this 12 months. The 6-2 ahead was remarkably poised in massive moments, and proved versatile as a constant scorer, averaging 9.4 factors a recreation within the paint whereas capturing 37 p.c from past the arc.
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Freshman guard
Stats: 23.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 45.7 FG%
It didn’t even take a full season for Blakes to reach in Nashville and alter the Commodores’ trajectory. From her first recreation in faculty, she proved to be a difference-maker by scoring 23 factors in solely 25 minutes. From there, Blakes routinely has confirmed to be one of many nation’s most dynamic gamers. The excessive level of Blakes’ season (thus far) was a 55-point outing in opposition to Auburn wherein she set the NCAA all-time freshman single-game scoring document. The efficiency was additionally her second 50-piece of the season, as she had scored 53 in opposition to Florida on Jan. 30. Blakes grew to become the primary NCAA freshman and the fourth NCAA Division I participant since 1999-2000 to document a number of 50-point video games in the identical season. She led the SEC in offensive win shares, an particularly spectacular feat contemplating the convention’s depth.
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