JuJu Watkins chosen over Paige Bueckers for women's college basketball's most prestigious award

Chris Broussard unveils his BUD list ahead of the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, including UConn's Paige Bueckers and Arkansas' John Calipari.

The voters have spoken. 

USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins was selected as the 2025 winner of the John R. Wooden Award Saturday, beating out UConn star Paige Bueckers. 

The other finalists were Lauren Betts of UCLA, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame and Madison Booker of Texas.

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JuJu Watkins is defended by Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen during the second half at the XL Center Dec. 21, 2024, in Hartford, Conn. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Watkins earned the award as a sophomore, becoming just the third underclassman to do so since the award was established in the 2003-04 season. 

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USC women's basketball player Juju Watkins before a game at Cal St. Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif., Dec. 21, 2023. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Watkins was one of the most dominant players in the NCAA tournament before tearing her ACL in the second round. She is fourth in the nation in scoring with 23.9 points per game, along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in 33.8 minutes per game.

Watkins was also on pace to potentially break Caitlin Clark's all-time NCAA scoring record before the ACL tear.

Bueckers, a senior, is still playing in the NCAA Tournament and will have a chance to win the championship after dominating UCLA 85-51 in the Final Four Friday. 

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UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers talks to the fans during senior