Top 3 players who could pose a threat for Paige Bueckers' natty run in 2024-25 season ft. Juju Watkins
Plenty of players are making designs for the women's 2025 NCAA title. Of course, UConn's Paige Bueckers, with the departure of Caitlin Clark, is the most accomplished player in women's hoops. But there are plenty of other players who will seek to best Paige Bueckers.
Here are three players who could outshine Paige Bueckers and take away the women's 2025 NCAA title.
Top 3 players who could pose a threat to Paige Bueckers' shot at 2025 NCAA title
3. Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
First, the obvious part. South Carolina, with two titles in three years and coming off a perfect season, is the obvious threat to UConn's title hopes. Yes, Carolina lost Kamilla Cardoso. But the Gamecocks return most of the parts from last year's perfect season. There's also another aspect to Carolina's potential.
USC is adding Joyce Edwards, probably the top recruit in the nation. The 6-foot-2 Edwards is a brilliant all-around player. She was MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic and co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game. Edwards is as good as any freshman in recent memory, and as the other names on this list will attest, that could mean something.
Is it crazy expecting an 18-year-old who has not yet played college basketball to dethrone the sport's most established player? Combining Edwards's excellence with Dawn Staley's creativity suggests that it might not be. Edwards could be the nation's best player and Carolina could nab the 2025 NCAA title.
2. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish were led a season ago by Hannah Hidalgo. A 5-foot-6 guard who put up 22.6 ppg, 6.2 RPG, and 5.5 assists per game. She put up an NCAA-best 160 steals last year. Hidalgo can shoot the perimeter shot, create offense by driving, or work well with teammates on the break.
A year ago, Notre Dame struggled because of some relative weakness in the post. The Irish remedied the situation in the transfer portal. They snagged Liza Karlen (from Marquette) and Liatu King (from Pittsburgh). Between the two players, the Irish added a combined 35 points and 18 rebounds per game of portal production.
A season ago, Notre Dame went down in the Sweet 16. But with the added depth in the post and a year of maturity for Hidalgo, things could go smoother. The standout guard with the swiping skills could lead the Irish to the 2025 NCAA title.
1. Juju Watkins, USC
Watkins was a remarkable freshman last season. She scored 920 points (27.1 ppg), which puts her ahead of pace for Caitlin Clark's scoring record. Watkins shoots an impressive 9.6 free throws per game. As an 85% shooter, she also racks up easy points.
Even if USC only returned Watkins, they'd be a threat. But there's even more good news. The Trojans, who fell in the regional finals to UConn and Paige Bueckers last year, picked up one of the nation's best recruiting classes. The headliner is cardinal-football" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Stanford standout Iriafen. Iriafen averaged 19.4 ppg and 11 rpg for the Cardinal and will fit right in with Watkins.
The Trojans will be a force to be reckoned with and with Iriafen keeping defenses honest, Watkins really could have an even better sophomore season than she did in 2023-24. That could lead to a 2025 NCAA title.
Which players could dethrone Paige Bueckers atop the list of women's stars and lead their own teams to the 2025 NCAA title? We'd love to hear your thoughts below in our comments section!