rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
Two of the top players in women’s college basketball are sophomores.
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo and USC guard JuJu Watkins both have their teams in contention to be crowned national champions in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Hidalgo and the No. 3 Fighting Irish are headed to the program’s fourth straight Sweet 16 after routing No. 6 Michigan on Sunday. Notre Dame is looking to advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since losing in the 2019 national championship.
Watkins and the No. 1 Trojans, meanwhile, can reach their second straight Sweet 16 with a win over No. 9 Mississippi State on Monday. USC, which suffered an Elite Eight loss last season, hasn’t reached the Final Four since 1986.
Hidalgo and Watkins have been AP First Team All-Americans in their freshman and sophomore campaigns, becoming just the third and fourth players in women’s college hoops history to achieve that feat. They joined Courtney Paris, who did so with Oklahoma from 2005-06 to 2006-07, and Maya Moore, who did so with UConn from 2007-08 to 2008-09.
And while both national player of the year contenders have unfinished business at the college level, Hidalgo and Watkins are on paths to becoming high WNBA draft picks at some point. But when will they actually be eligible to join the W? Here’s what to know:
How old is JuJu Watkins?
Watkins is 19 years old and will turn 20 on July 15.
How old is Hannah Hidalgo?
Hidalgo turned 20 years old on Feb. 22.
What are the WNBA draft eligibility rules?
There are three ways for domestic players to be eligible for the WNBA draft:
Turn at least 22 years old during the year when the draft takes place
Have graduated or be set to graduate from a four-year university within three months of the draft
Have attended a four-year university and had her original class graduate or be set to graduate within three months of the draft
When can JuJu Watkins join the WNBA?
Since Watkins will be a true junior and turn 21 in 2026, she won’t be able to enter the draft until the following year.
When can Hannah Hidalgo join the WNBA?
The same goes for Hidalgo, who will also become draft eligible in 2027.
2005 NCAA Champion Rashad McCants discusses the impressive lineup of stars about to shine in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
What are JuJu Watkins’ stats?
Watkins is the nation’s second-leading scorer at 24.6 points per game, adding 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 blocks. The Los Angeles native is shooting 42.8% from the field, 32.6% from deep and 82.1% on free throws. She was this year’s Big Ten Player of the Year, in addition to making the conference’s All-Defensive Team.
What are Hannah Hidalgo’s stats?
Hidalgo sits fourth in the nation in scoring at 21.4 points per game on blistering shooting splits of 47.3/40.8/86.3, adding 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists a contest. Not only did Hidalgo earn ACC Player of the Year honors this season, but she was also named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight time. The Merchantville, New Jersey, native led the nation in steals per game last season with a staggering 4.6 per contest, and her 3.7 average in 2024-25 ranks fourth.
When is the 2025 WNBA Draft?
The WNBA draft will be held on Monday, April 14 — just over a week after the women’s national championship game.
Who has the first pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft?
The Dallas Wings won the No. 1 overall pick via November’s draft lottery. Dallas is widely expected to take UConn star Paige Bueckers first overall.
