JuJu Watkins Wins 2025 Wooden Award over Paige Bueckers, Lauren Betts, More

USC sophomore JuJu Watkins won the 2024-25 John R. Wooden Award on Saturday as the most outstanding player in women's college basketball.

Watkins beat out UConn's Paige Bueckers, UCLA's Lauren Betts, Texas' Madison Booker and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo to take the honors.

The 19-year-old guard swept the Player of the Year honors by taking home the Wooden Award, as she previously won the Naismith College Player of the Year and Associated Press Player of the Year as well.

Watkins earned 332 points in the Wooden Award voting, beating out Bueckers' 286, Betts' 257, Hidalgo's 239 and Booker's 129.

In 33 games this season, Watkins averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.

She was the fourth-leading scorer in women's college basketball this season, and tops among the Wooden Award finalists.

Prior to the start of the NCAA tournament, Watkins had led the Trojans to a 28-3 record, securing them a No. 1 seed in the tourney.

However, Watkins suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the second round of the tournament. USC advanced to the Elite Eight without her before falling to UConn.

Since the Wooden Award was first bestowed upon women's players in 2004, Watkins is the first USC player to win it. She is also only the third underclassman to take the award, joining Maya Moore and Bueckers.

Watkins will officially be granted her award when the John R. Wooden Awards Show streams on ESPN+ on April 11 at 8 p.m. ET.