While all the attention in women’s college basketball is focused on the historic present of all-time great players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and others, the future is on display. This year’s freshmen class is as talented as any class ever, if not the most talented.
As the non-conference schedule winds to a close there are two freshmen that are in contention for National Player of the Year with as many as four that could join them.
Judea “Juju” Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo are both playing like future players of the year. Those two, along with MiLaysia Fulwiley, Mikaylah Williams and Madison Booker are either the best player or contributing at the highest level to teams that are currently ranked in the top 13. All of which are real contenders for the Final Four this season.
The future could be now as they lead some of the best teams in the country as part of potentially the best freshman class in the women’s college basketball history.
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Since 1995 when the AP Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year award was established, only one freshman has won the honor. In fact, only 12 of the 27 winners have been non-seniors: one freshman, three sophomores and eight juniors.
Paige Bueckers is the only freshman to win the award back in the 2020-21 season when she led the UConn Huskies to a 28-2 record, a conference tournament win and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
That season Bueckers averaged 20.0 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. That is the bar for a freshman.
At this point in the college basketball season two players have already surpassed that season statistically and now need to maintain while sustaining team success.
Can one of the freshmen from this potentially legendary class become the second to win the National Player of the Year?
Is this the best class of freshman ever in women’s college basketball?
Judea “Juju” Watkins – USC Trojans
Stats: 26.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game
Entering this season Watkins was the No. 1 recruit in the country and came in with all the fanfare. She was the prized high school player in the country. In nine games with the Trojans she has led them from No. 21 in the preseason to No. 6 today as the clear best player on the team.
Heading into Saturday’s game, Watkins has scored at least 23 points in five straight games and in seven of nine games overall.
This season only one player averages more points per game than Watkins, reigning National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark, with fellow freshman Hidalgo a full three points per game behind her as the third-best scorer in the country.
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Stats: 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 6.0 steals per game
The surprise of the season has been the play of Hidalgo, who entered the year as the fifth ranked recruit entering a team that was without its All-American Olivia Miles.
This season no other player in the country has accomplished what Hidalgo has on the court. She has been a chaos machine on defense, leading the country in steals and averaging more steals per game than almost 40 teams.
Since a season-opening loss Hidalgo has led the Fighting Irish to nine straight wins. Hidalgo is third in the country in points per game, making her the most balanced player in the country on both ends of the floor.
MiLaysia Fulwiley – South Carolina Gamecocks
Stats: 12.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.0 steals
While Fulwiley does not have the same counting stats as her fellow freshman, she might be the wild card that determines who wins the National Championship this season. In her three games against ranked opponents this season, Fulwiley has 40 points, nine assists and four rebounds.
She has arguably the best end-to-end speed in the country, giving the Gamecocks the ability to play every style from bruising in the half court to a high scoring, fast-paced game to keep up with the elite scoring teams.
The best is to come for Fulwiley, as she defers to a veteran group that is focused on winning a National Title this season. Next season the reigns will be all hers, as she is allowed to spread her wings and dominate like she has shown in flashes this season.
Mikaylah Williams – LSU Tigers
Stats: 17.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game
Despite the drama on and off the court this season for the Tigers one of the reasons they have a chance to defend their championship is the play of a freshman. Williams came in as the second ranked recruit in the country. In any other year she would have been the clear No. 1.
So far as a freshman Williams has proven to be both explosive (42 points against Kent State) and consistent, scoring in double-figures in 10 games.
Williams is one of the best pure scorers in this freshman class. On another team she might be in the same conversation as Watkins and Hidalgo as top three scorers in the country. On the Tigers, she brings a dynamic they did not have alongside the interior dominance of Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow.
Madison Booker – Texas Longhorns
Stats: 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game
Much like Fulwiley, the counting stats are not going to jump out at you when looking at Booker so far this season. The 12th overall recruit came to a Longhorns team that featured one of the best inside-out veteran duos in the country to help them build a championship contender.
She has done just that, helping them grow from No. 13 in the preseason to fifth today. Booker will also have the ball in her hands a lot more now with Rori Harmon out for the rest of the season.
This season Booker has been at her best when it counts the most. She helped pace the offense in a win over 11th ranked UConn with a career-high 20 points. Then in the teams first game without Harmon she took over the playmaking duties with a career-high nine assists.
The rest of this season will be a resume for Booker to enter the conversation as one of the best freshmen in one of the best classes ever.
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