JuJu Watkins. Caitlin Clark. Aliyah Boston. Paige Bueckers. What do those four names all have in common? They're past winners of the Naismith College Player of the Year award. You might notice, though, that the only one of those recent winners who is still in college is Watkins, and you might also notice that since Watkins is out this year due to injury, we're about to have a new face win the award.
This year's field feels pretty wide open. Sure, there are players with better shots than others, but there's not really one true superstar to dominate the competition like there's been for the past three seasons, with Clark winning back-to-back awards in 2023 and 2024, followed by a 2024-25 campaign where Watkins swept the major awards. This year, it feels like things might develop more organically like they do over in college football with the Heisman, with new contenders emerging as the year goes on. (Or, maybe Azzi Fudd just runs away with it, which is also an option.)
Here are 10 players to watch in the race for the Naismith.
Azzi Fudd - UConn
Injuries have marred Azzi Fudd's career, but we finally had a chance to see her play a full season last year. She responded by averaging 13.6 points on 47.4 percent shooting, including a 43.6 percent mark from 3-point range.
Fudd now has a chance to be the lead backcourt scoring option this season for the Huskies after the departure of Paige Bueckers. If she can adapt to that role with a minimal transition period, Fudd could wind up easily taking the mantle of "best player in college basketball," but it's definitely not a lock.
Lauren Betts - UCLA
Lauren Betts is the best traditional big in women's college basketball. Last season, she ranked ninth in all of Division I in field goal percentage, and she also added 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game to go along with her average of 20.2 points.
There are fair questions about whether a player with Betts' profile can still be dominant in the WNBA. In a league that's become more driven by versatility, how far can a post-up big really go? I bring that up because maybe Betts will focus a bit more on expanding her range this year in preparation for a pro future, which could mean an efficiency drop. Still, Betts will likely dominate again this season.
Joyce Edwards - South Carolina
It will be interesting to see how Dawn Staley uses Joyce Edwards this season. As a freshman, Edwards led the Gamecocks in scoring, but was only fifth on the team in minutes per game and came off the bench in all but one contest.
But with Chloe Kitts out for the season, the Gamecocks have no choice but to scale Edwards' minutes up. A 52.9 percent shooter last year, can she sustain that efficiency with a larger role? If so, she'll be in the running for the Naismith.
Hannah Hidalgo - Notre Dame
Notre Dame had an incredibly deep team last year, yet Hannah Hidalgo still averaged 23.8 points per game, the fifth-best mark in all of Division I.
This year, the Irish are far less deep, losing three key seniors to the WNBA and Olivia Miles to the transfer portal. For better or worse, this is Hidalgo's team now, and she'll have a chance to prove she can be more than just an elite scorer. How she handles the increased pressure as a playmaker will determine how far the Irish can go in March, and how far Hidalgo can go in the battle for the Naismith.
Madison Booker - Texas
The SEC is, IMO, the best conference in college basketball, so we have to assume that the SEC Preseason Player of the Year has a very, very good shot at the Naismith.
Madison Booker is a walking bucket when she needs to be. Her 16.3 points per game might not look like much, but that's partially a product of playing in head coach Vic Schaefer's system that de-emphasizes 3-point shooting, leading to Booker attempting just 1.6 of them per game despite shooting 40.3 percent from deep. But even if her scoring average stays around this spot, her rebounding, passing and defense will make her a Naismith candidate.
Olivia Miles - TCU
We have the first of two transfer players on this list with TCU point guard Olivia Miles, who somewhat surprisingly chose a return to college over going to the WNBA. Only, it wasn't a return to Notre Dame for her, but instead a stop at TCU, where she takes the mantle from Hailey Van Lith, who showed immense growth as a scorer in her one season with head coach Mark Campbell.
That's what Miles needs to do as well. She's a WNBA-caliber playmaker already, but playing beside Hannah Hidalgo last year meant she never had to be the go-to scorer. Playing at TCU, she'll have the chance to show that she can get buckets just as easily as she can set them up.
Mikayla Blakes - Vanderbilt
Mikayla Blakes is my pick to lead Division I in scoring this season. With Vanderbilt's other big-time scorer from last year, Khamil Pierre, gone, the Commodores will rely heavily on Blakes, whose 23.3 points per game ranked eighth in the country as a freshman.
The bigger question isn't if Blakes will have numbers worthy of the Naismith, but if Vanderbilt will have the team success needed to win the Naismith. The Naismith winner usually comes from a top team, and Vanderbilt probably won't be a top team this season.
Sarah Strong - UConn
Last season, Sarah Strong burst onto the scene as a freshman, averaging 16.4 points per game on 58.6 percent shooting to go along with 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Among all players to play 1000 or more minutes, Strong ranked third in Hakeem Percentage, which combines steal and block rate. She was also an above-average shooter from every major zone, including shooting 74.4 percent at the rim. My only Naismith concern here is if she splits votes with Fudd, or if Fudd simply gets more credit if UConn has another big year.
Ta'Niya Latson - South Carolina
The leading scorer in college basketball last season, Ta'Niya Latson's transfer to South Carolina probably prevents her from repeating that feat, but it doesn't mean she won't be one of college basketball's best players.
Her Naismith path feels simple. First, don't have too much scoring fall-off. She needs to finish in the top 10 in the country again. Second, cut down on turnovers, which have been her biggest issue across her college career. Finally, pass the eye test — you have to be able to look at the Gamecocks and say "wow, Latson's their best player." That'll be tough since she'll share the floor with Joyce Edwards, but it isn't impossible.
Raegan Beers - Oklahoma
Oklahoma has been a fun team to watch for years now, but the team's high-pace system seemed to falter in big moments because there wasn't a player who could add a needed interior dimension to the team.
Then came Oregon State transfer Raegan Beers, who averaged 17.3 points per game on 63.3 percent shooting last season while adding 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. It should come as no surprise, then, that Oklahoma's 27 wins were its most since 2010 and the team made its first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2013. If the Sooners make a legitimate run at the SEC title this year, Beers will deserve a ton of credit, and a ton of award consideration.