In Los Angeles, Duke University’s freshman forward, Cooper Flagg, and USC’s sophomore guard, JuJu Watkins, have both added prestigious accolades to their growing list of achievements.
Flagg was honored with the John R. Wooden Award as the premier player in men’s college basketball, securing the title over Auburn’s Johni Broome by a margin of 178 votes. His recognition marks the eighth time a Duke athlete has received the prestigious Wooden Award. During this season, Flagg played an instrumental role for the Blue Devils, averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, contributing to the team’s advancement to the Final Four.
The competition for the award included formidable players such as Walter Clayton Jr. from Florida, Mark Sears of Alabama, and Purdue’s Braden Smith.
On the women’s side, JuJu Watkins emerged victorious, standing out against UConn’s Paige Bueckers, who was the 2021 award recipient, by 46 votes. Additional finalists were UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Madison Booker of Texas, and Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame.
Both Flagg and Watkins were celebrated as the players of the year according to the Associated Press. Watkins had an outstanding season, averaging 24.6 points per game for the Trojans. Unfortunately, her season was cut short due to an ACL injury during their second-round NCAA Tournament win.
A national panel comprising sportswriters, sportscasters, and former Wooden Award winners conducted the voting from March 11 to March 24. The official award presentation is scheduled for April 11 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.