Women's Fastbreak On SI

Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo Dominates 'Best Player in College Basketball' Fan Debate

Notre Dame superstar sophomore Hannah Hidalgo is winning over women's college basketball fans in droves.
Grant Young|
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) calls a play during a NCAA women's basketball game between No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 2 UConn at Purcell Pavilion on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in South Bend.
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) calls a play during a NCAA women's basketball game between No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 2 UConn at Purcell Pavilion on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you had asked members of the women's college basketball community who they thought the best player in the 2024-25 NCAA season would be before the regular season began, most probably would have said UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers or USC Trojans standout JuJu Watkins.

And while both of those elite players have been solid thus far, Notre Dame sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo has not only outplayed them both when her Fighting Irish faced (and defeated) UConn and USC respectively but has looked like the overall top talent in the college game to this point.

This is proven by Hidalgo's stats. In addition to her 25 points per game being second in the country (plus currently above both Watkins (24.6) and Bueckers (19.6)), she also leads the NCAA in steals, with 40.

Bueckers even alluded to Hidalgo's elite defense when saying, “She does a lot of great things offensively and defensively. She’s a pest. The best thing that she does is her energy and her attitude, and she leads her team with that and her fire," after her team's loss to Notre Dame on Thursday.

On Saturday, the popular @WomensHoops_USA X account wrote, "Who is the best player in college basketball right now?"

The ensuing discussion was dominated by one player.

"HIDALGO," one fan responded.

Another added, "Hannah Hildalgo im saying this as a uconn fan".

A third fan didn't need to use words, and instead posted a GIF of Hidalgo.

At least 90% of the responses to this point have been for Hidalgo.

While there's still a lot of season left to play, it seems there's a clear favorite for NCAA National Player of the Year right now.

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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