UConn Huskies star guard Paige Bueckers is a strong contender for the John R. Wooden Award, at least according to one analyst who ran through her performance so far.
In one video, analyst Alexa Philippou listed names who could be strong contenders for the prestigious Wooden Award. Among the list is Paige Bueckers, who Philippoiu particularly praised for breaking records of Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore.
“The other three candidates have likely surpassed her in the Wooden debate,” Philippou said. “But the 6-foot guard out of Minnesota is still within reach of a 50/40/90 campaign, boasts a career-best assist-to-turnover ratio and earlier this season, became the fastest UConn player to reach 2,000 career points: faster than Maya Moore, Brianna Stewart and yes, Diana Taurasi.”
The John R. Wooden Award is one of the most prestigious honors in college basketball, recognizing the most outstanding players in the sport. Named after the legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, the award is presented annually to the top male and female college basketball players in the United States.
The Wooden Award for women’s basketball specifically honors the best female players, taking into account their performance, character, and contributions to their team. Past recipients of the Wooden Award for women’s basketball include some of the sport’s greatest players, such as Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, and Candace Parker.
The Wooden Award All-American Team is announced during the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight round, and the winners are honored at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
UConn HC Paige Bueckers Comments on Tournament MVP Win
In light of their Big East Conference title win, Paige Bueckers was named the tournament MVP, as a testament to her exemplary performance with the UConn Huskies. UConn head coach Geno Auriemma gave his insight on the award that the apparent 2025 WNBA draft first pick got.
“I think Sarah [Strong] should’ve got it,” Auriemma said when asked about Bueckers winning the award. He then backtracked and played off the comment as a joke. “I mean, I’m just saying that because somebody will write it, she’ll hear it, she’ll read it, [and] then I’ll have to deal with it, which will be fun.”
Paige Bueckers has had an impressive season with the UConn Huskies, averaging 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Her shooting percentages are equally remarkable, with a field goal percentage of 53.4%, a three-point shooting percentage of 40.8%, and a free throw percentage of 88.8%.
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