There’s plenty of star power, but who will take over the mantle from Caitlin Clark as the face of women’s college basketball?
Last year, women’s basketball fans old and young developed a fever that only Caitlin Clark could cure, and her virality went far beyond the degree of renown enjoyed by the average collegiate athlete. Clark was not only the Indiana Fever’s clear top draft pick, but she also garnered a bevy of followers, NIL deals, and influence along the way.
Clark had 1.5 million Instagram followers at the end of her collegiate career, with 47% of them obtained over the 2023 and 2024 Final Four weekends. She now has 2.2 million followers following the WNBA Draft. These figures have paid off for Clark–literally.
Clark was valued at $154,000 by On3, making her the 12th highest NIL earner in women’s basketball in 2023. This year, the ranking rose to #1 with a valuation of $3.1 million, representing a 20-fold increase in NIL sponsorships. Clark turned down Ice Cube’s $5 million offer to play in the Big3 league in favour of the WNBA Draft, and Nike recently offered her an astounding $28 million shoe deal.
Clark made history as the fourth female athlete to appear on Saturday Night Live and the first basketball player to wear Prada during the WNBA Draft. It’s safe to say Clark was the dominant figure in women’s basketball last season, and her momentum isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
While Clark deserves recognition, there are both advantages and disadvantages to the current position. While it’s great for women’s basketball that more eyes are on the game as a whole, UConn star Paige Bueckers discussed the disadvantages of focusing so much attention on one player when asked if she was ready to take over the title of women’s college basketball poster star next season during the women’s tournament this year.
“I think it’s more important for the game to share the spotlight to grow the game and show all the stars of college basketball and not just focus on one particular player,” Bueckers said as a follow-up. “Whether it’s myself, Caitlin, JuJu [Watkins], Angel [Reese]. There are so many big names in college basketball now, talents who deserve recognition.”
Despite Caitlin Clark’s dominance in sports media headlines last season, there is ample star power in women’s collegiate basketball, as Clark and Bueckers have previously emphasised. It is evident that sports media has a long way to go in terms of providing fair and equal coverage of women’s basketball players, and the athletes listed below deserve a lot of media attention next year.
Paige Bueckers, G, UConn
Of course, Paige Bueckers ranks among the top returners in women’s collegiate basketball. Despite a few setbacks due to injuries, Bueckers’ first full season back was nothing short of spectacular.Bueckers, who averages 21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and a 55% field goal percentage, is a valuable asset for the Huskies as they prepare for another postseason run.
Juju Watkins, F. USC
Juju Watkins had an outstanding freshman season, scoring an average of 27.1 points per game, second only to Clark. Watkins’ youth did not hinder her playoff performance, as she scored over 20 points in all March Madness games, including a 30-point performance against Baylor and double-doubles against Kansas and UConn. In the postgame handshake line after USC’s Elite Eight loss to UConn, head coach Geno Auriemma advised Watkins to “go pro.”
Juju excels even as a freshman. Fortunately for USC supporters, Watkins is unlikely to leave anytime soon.
Kiki Iriafen, F. USC
USC is preparing to become the next collegiate basketball superteam, with skilled forwards Watkins and former Stanford star Kiki Iriafen joining the squad next year. Despite being a senior, Iriafen is poised to have a significant influence on an already-stacked Trojans team following a successful junior year for the Cardinals.
Iriafen averaged 19.4 points and 11 rebounds last season, including two consecutive double-doubles in Stanford’s tournament games. If rebounding wins championships, USC is a legitimate title contender, and Iriafen might help her new club make a strong postseason run.
Audi Crooks, C. Iowa State
A list of clutch postseason performers is incomplete without Iowa State centre Audi Crooks. Crooks, a freshman for the Cyclones last season, put up tremendous tournament numbers, including a 40-point, 12 rebound outburst against Maryland. He averaged 19.1 points and 7.8 rebounds for the 2023-24 season.
Crooks played a crucial role in Stanford’s second-round postseason game against first-round WNBA Draft pick Cameron Brink. She limited Brink to only eight points and forced her to foul out with just over two minutes left. Despite the Cyclones’ overtime loss, Brink lauded Crooks’ ability and told him, “You’re already good.” You’re going to be so good.”
Hannah Hidalgo (G, Notre Dame)
Hannah Hidalgo exemplifies the trend of high-performing freshmen in women’s basketball from last season. After losing standout guard Olivia Miles to injury last year, many people believed Notre Dame’s 2024 postseason aspirations were in peril. Hannah Hidalgo, a freshman guard, steps in.
Hidalgo ranked 6th in scoring (22.6 PPG) and led the nation in steals (4.6 per game) past season. Hidalgo’s fast-paced style of play creates controlled mayhem and is a terror on both ends of the court, making her a valuable addition to the Fighting Irish.
MiLaysia Fulwiley, G. South Carolina
This list would be incomplete without some representation from the defending champion Gamecocks, and MiLaysia Fulwiley certainly lives up to the hype surrounding her name. Fulwiley, another terrific freshman from the 2023 recruiting class, will be a long-time South Carolina star.
Fulwiley averaged 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.While these are respectable statistics that aided South Carolina’s championship run, none of them rank among the top 150 in the nation. However, the stat to watch is Fulwiley’s average minutes played–it’s no small feat that Fulwiley contributed double-digit scoring for the Gamecocks in her freshman season while only averaging 18.4 minutes per game, so you can go ahead and double all of her stats to get a sense of her potential as a starter and future key player for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks hope to complete their “Repeat Tour” with a second consecutive championship next year, and Fulwiley will undoubtedly play a crucial role in their legacy quest over the following few years.
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