Watkins Named Naismith Player, Leads Wooden Finalists

USC's JuJu Watkins, despite a season-ending ACL injury, was named the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year due to her outstanding performance, including averages of 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Watkins led the USC Trojans to the Elite Eight before their defeat to UConn and is a finalist for the 2025 Wooden Award, alongside UConn's Paige Bueckers, UCLA's Lauren Betts, Texas' Madison Booker, and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo. These players, including Watkins, are listed on the Wooden All-America Team. Johni Broome of Auburn is also a finalist for the Wooden Award and led his team to the Final Four. The award winners will be announced later in April.