AAs ?

[MilfordHusky]

We definitely could have multiple players winning the various NPOY awards. There is still a lot of basketball left to be played.

 

[WBBTakeover]

We definitely could have multiple players winning the various NPOY awards. There is still a lot of basketball left to be played.

That's a good point--hadn't even thought about the possibility that the players could split the awards.

 

[bballnut90]

That's a good point--hadn't even thought about the possibility that the players could split the awards.

Just did some research—it’s uncommon but not super rare to have split POY awards. Going back 15 years there’s:

2023/2024: Clark won everything
2022: Boston swept
2021: Paige swept (besides Wade which freshman are ineligible for)
2020: Sabrina swept
2019: Gustafson/Sabrina split
2018: A’ja Wilson swept
2017: Kelsey Plum swept
2016: Breanna Stewart swept
2015: Stewart/Loyd (almost sweep for Stewart
2014: Stewart/Sims/Ogwumike split
2012/2013: Griner swept
2011: Moore swept
2010: Moore/Charles split
2009: Moore swept

 

[packwrap]

This is great. Note Clark, Paige, Sabrina Gustafson, Plum, Lloyd, Sims, Ogwumike all won without being on the best team that year.

 

[Bone Dog]

UCLAs conference schedule is very much backloaded.
Its final 10 games are USC (x2), Md, OhioSt, and 2 other ranked teams. Additionally there’s Illinois, at Iowa, and at Oregon.
The only guaranteed snoozer is Wisconsin.

With better games/environments comes better TV options and more eyeballs. If shes having a NPOY season, she’ll have her chance to show it, starting g this Sunday at MD.

Couldn’t agree more. And with those better games either Betts shines or she doesn’t. If I had to guess, she’ll do well against USC but not quite as shiny as she’s looked so far. Last season in their loss to USC, Juju made their defense look hapless. She has a way of doing that. Betts has two chances to change that result.

As for the ‘best player on the best team’ notion others have mentioned, it is by no means clear to me that UCLA is the best team. I’d be inclined to favor both SC and ND over them. This notion would then favor Hidalgo for NPOY, even if none of them play each other before the NC game. After all, we only have poll rankings now as a reason for calling UCLA best, and Cori’s trademark March swoon hasn’t even started yet. So far UCLA’s being best is only theoretical, and history doesn’t favor this theory.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

Just did some research—it’s uncommon but not super rare to have split POY awards. Going back 15 years there’s:

2023/2024: Clark won everything
2022: Boston swept
2021: Paige swept (besides Wade which freshman are ineligible for)
2020: Sabrina swept
2019: Gustafson/Sabrina split
2018: A’ja Wilson swept
2017: Kelsey Plum swept
2016: Breanna Stewart swept
2015: Stewart/Loyd (almost sweep for Stewart
2014: Stewart/Sims/Ogwumike split
2012/2013: Griner swept
2011: Moore swept
2010: Moore/Charles split
2009: Moore swept

I don't know what you're talking about here with these splits. Naismith has always been recognized as the NPOY award. And they are as follows:

 

[darrell]

I don't know what you're talking about here with these splits. Naismith has always been recognized as the NPOY award. And they are as follows:


View attachment 106414

There’s the Naismith, arguably the biggest, but there’s also the Wade Trophy, Wooden Award, USBWA and Associated Press. All of which are just as prestigious.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

There’s the Naismith, arguably the biggest, but there’s also the Wade Trophy, Wooden Award, USBWA and Associated Press. All of which are just as prestigious.

Not really as prestigious.

 

[darrell]

Not really as prestigious.

Naismith is the most prestigious by far, but an award named after John Wooden presents quite the prestige itself.

The Wade trophy, being presented by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, is also very prestigious. It’s been around longer as the first Women’s NPOY Award and probably has a tougher selection process as well.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

Naismith is the most prestigious by far, but an award named after John Wooden presents quite the prestige itself.

The Wade trophy, being presented by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, is also very prestigious. It’s been around longer as the first Women’s NPOY Award and probably has a tougher selection process as well.

View attachment 106420

I've been around through all those years and more, many, many more. I don't need the education, but with all due respect, thanks anyway.

 

[WBBTakeover]

This is great. Note Clark, Paige, Sabrina Gustafson, Plum, Lloyd, Sims, Ogwumike all won without being on the best team that year.

So did A'ja Wilson.

 

[Vowelguy]

Betts with 31 points and it’s not even the 4th quarter, in a game on NBC.

 

[GoChips20]

Hidalgo is still my POY but if UCLA stays undefeated and Betts keeps playing like she has lately (there’s a lot of dependency on those two things), it’s going to be hard to keep it from her.

I don’t view Watkins or Bueckers as likely candidates at this point in the season as both have been outplayed by and lost a head-to-head with Hidalgo.

I think it’s a two-horse race right now.

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[bballnut90]

Hidalgo is still my POY but if UCLA stays undefeated and Betts keeps playing like she has lately (there’s a lot of dependency on those two things), it’s going to be hard to keep it from her.

I don’t view Watkins or Bueckers as likely candidates at this point in the season as both have been outplayed by and lost a head-to-head with Hidalgo.

I think it’s a two-horse race right now.

I don’t see Bueckers as a realistic candidate unless she goes off against South Carolina. Juju could play her way into being a serious contender with big showings vs UCLA.

 

[Rb335]

Probably because they have 4 losses and up until this weekend, had not beaten a ranked opponent. Her individual season has been really impressive regardless.

 

[ucbart]

Napheesa Collier's entire 2019 is still a head scratcher. How on EARTH did Gustafson win POY over her and how on EARTHHHHH was she the #6 pick in the WNBA draft?

 

[GoUconn7961]

Sarah Strong is a lock IMO - whether it's 1st team or 2nd is a crap shoot. I've heard talk of her being 1st team instead of Paige.
There is so much talent this season.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Napheesa Collier's entire 2019 is still a head scratcher. How on EARTH did Gustafson win POY over her and how on EARTHHHHH was she the #6 pick in the WNBA draft?

She's certainly having the last laugh now. That one Unrivaled game when she scored 25 points in 14 minutes is still playing in my head.

 

[Zarathustra]

Hidalgo paige juju

Who are the other 2?

Betts? Morrow? Sc player?

A. Morrow is a "LOCK"... check the double double stats

 

[Stagnant]

First team locks:

Hannah, Juju, and Betts.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Napheesa Collier's entire 2019 is still a head scratcher. How on EARTH did Gustafson win POY over her and how on EARTHHHHH was she the #6 pick in the WNBA draft?

Seriously? Gustafson had an absolutely monstrous season that year, it was an easy call. UConn was a better team than Iowa, but the Huskies also had a lot more talent overall than the Hawkeyes did. IIRC there was still a lot of debate at the time about whether Collier or Samuelson was the Huskies best player.
As for the draft, I'm sure several GMs would pick differently if they had a do-over, but mistakes probably get made in every draft.

 

[Vowelguy]

A. Morrow is a "LOCK"... check the double double stats

But Latson also has tremendous numbers. So unless you're going to dump Paige, you can't have both Latson and Morrow on the 5-person first team.