9 best players at the 2025 women’s Final Four, ranked
Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images The Final Four is set. But who has the best players out of South Carolina, UConn, Texas and UCLA? The winner of the national championship is often decided by who has the best player — or players — at the Final Four. While some could make the case that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was the top player last year in Cleveland, Ohio, nobody could stop South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso as she piled up 37 points, 28 rebounds and five blocks in two victories. The same is true for 2023 in Dallas, Texas, where Clark wowed, but Angel Reese racked up 39 points 22 rebounds, five assists and six steals for LSU. A lot of times, having one great player isn’t enough. With that in mind, we’re going to attempt to rank the best players at this year’s Final Four in Tampa, Florida. On Friday night, South Carolina meets Texas in an SEC clash, while UConn faces UCLA. 9. Rori Harmon, Texas The senior guard isn’t as explosive as she once was following her season-ending injury from last year, but she is still in-command of this Texas offense as the floor general, averaging 9.3 points and 5.9 assists per game — the latter of which is 12th best in the nation. Harmon still possesses great court vision and a knack for playmaking. Her total number of assists, 226, are third nationally. 8. Kiki Rice, UCLA Rice isn’t quite as good of a passer as Harmon, but she is a better and more efficient scorer this season, averaging 12.9 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point land and 87 percent from the floor. The bus-driver for UCLA is Lauren Betts, but when Rice plays well the Bruins are difficult to beat. 7. Azzi Fudd, UConn Finally enjoying a mostly-fully-healthy college season, Fudd is emerging as the player a lot of people thought she could become. She’s shooting 44.1 percent from 3-point land and averaging 13.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. As far as third options go, folks will struggle to find one better than Fudd, which is an incredible luxury for UConn to have. 6. MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina Her play and time on the court have been inconsistent, but when Dawn Staley turns the keys to South Carolina over to Fulwiley, she is incredibly fun to watch and often shows that she is just as talented as any other player in the country. We saw her flex her potential most recently in the Gamecocks’ Sweet 16 victory over Maryland, where Fulwiley posted 23 points, five rebounds and three assists in just 21 minutes. Without that outburst from her, South Carolina probably doesn’t beat the Terps. 5. Chloe Kitts, South Carolina Arguably the most consistent player for the Gamecocks in the post season, Kitts has captured SEC Tournament MVP and Most Outstanding Player at the Birmingham 2 Regional honors. Over her last nine games, Kitts is averaging 14.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. Simply put, Kitts is playing some of the best basketball of her career right now. 4. Madison Booker, Texas The Longhorns aren’t here without Booker, one of the best sophomores in the country. The SEC Player of the Year is averaging 16.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor, 41 percent from 3-point range and 83 percent from the charity stripe. She’s led Texas in scoring in each of their last six victories. 3. Sarah Strong, UConn Perhaps the most impressive freshman in the country, Strong is third in the nation in 2-point shooting percentage, making 68.3 percent of her looks inside the arc. She averages 16.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game — a stat line bested by only three other players in the country, none of whom shoot better from the floor or 3-point land than Strong. The advanced numbers like her too, as she’s third nationally in PER, second in win shares and first in offensive rating. 2. Lauren Betts, UCLA The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 21.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.7 blocks per game over her last seven contests. She’s on an absolute tear for the Bruins right now and are the main reason why they’re in the Final Four for the first time ever. Ten of the last 13 Most Outstanding Players at the Final Four have been ones who play in the post. Betts could be next. 1. Paige Bueckers, UConn The presumed No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft is aiming to cap off her career at UConn with a bang. Bueckers is playing some of her best basketball right now, coming off the second weekend of the tournament where she scored a combined 71 points in wins in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. On the season, the All-American is averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor, 43 percent from 3-point land and 88 percent from the charity stripe.
The Final Four is set. But who has the best players out of South Carolina, UConn, Texas and UCLA?
The winner of the national championship is often decided by who has the best player — or players — at the Final Four. While some could make the case that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was the top player last year in Cleveland, Ohio, nobody could stop South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso as she piled up 37 points, 28 rebounds and five blocks in two victories. The same is true for 2023 in Dallas, Texas, where Clark wowed, but Angel Reese racked up 39 points 22 rebounds, five assists and six steals for LSU.
A lot of times, having one great player isn’t enough.
With that in mind, we’re going to attempt to rank the best players at this year’s Final Four in Tampa, Florida. On Friday night, South Carolina meets Texas in an SEC clash, while UConn faces UCLA.
9. Rori Harmon, Texas
The senior guard isn’t as explosive as she once was following her season-ending injury from last year, but she is still in-command of this Texas offense as the floor general, averaging 9.3 points and 5.9 assists per game — the latter of which is 12th best in the nation. Harmon still possesses great court vision and a knack for playmaking. Her total number of assists, 226, are third nationally.
8. Kiki Rice, UCLA
Rice isn’t quite as good of a passer as Harmon, but she is a better and more efficient scorer this season, averaging 12.9 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point land and 87 percent from the floor. The bus-driver for UCLA is Lauren Betts, but when Rice plays well the Bruins are difficult to beat.
7. Azzi Fudd, UConn
Finally enjoying a mostly-fully-healthy college season, Fudd is emerging as the player a lot of people thought she could become. She’s shooting 44.1 percent from 3-point land and averaging 13.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. As far as third options go, folks will struggle to find one better than Fudd, which is an incredible luxury for UConn to have.
6. MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina
Her play and time on the court have been inconsistent, but when Dawn Staley turns the keys to South Carolina over to Fulwiley, she is incredibly fun to watch and often shows that she is just as talented as any other player in the country. We saw her flex her potential most recently in the Gamecocks’ Sweet 16 victory over Maryland, where Fulwiley posted 23 points, five rebounds and three assists in just 21 minutes. Without that outburst from her, South Carolina probably doesn’t beat the Terps.
5. Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
Arguably the most consistent player for the Gamecocks in the post season, Kitts has captured SEC Tournament MVP and Most Outstanding Player at the Birmingham 2 Regional honors. Over her last nine games, Kitts is averaging 14.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. Simply put, Kitts is playing some of the best basketball of her career right now.
4. Madison Booker, Texas
The Longhorns aren’t here without Booker, one of the best sophomores in the country. The SEC Player of the Year is averaging 16.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor, 41 percent from 3-point range and 83 percent from the charity stripe. She’s led Texas in scoring in each of their last six victories.
3. Sarah Strong, UConn
Perhaps the most impressive freshman in the country, Strong is third in the nation in 2-point shooting percentage, making 68.3 percent of her looks inside the arc. She averages 16.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game — a stat line bested by only three other players in the country, none of whom shoot better from the floor or 3-point land than Strong. The advanced numbers like her too, as she’s third nationally in PER, second in win shares and first in offensive rating.
2. Lauren Betts, UCLA
The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 21.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.7 blocks per game over her last seven contests. She’s on an absolute tear for the Bruins right now and are the main reason why they’re in the Final Four for the first time ever. Ten of the last 13 Most Outstanding Players at the Final Four have been ones who play in the post. Betts could be next.
1. Paige Bueckers, UConn
The presumed No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft is aiming to cap off her career at UConn with a bang. Bueckers is playing some of her best basketball right now, coming off the second weekend of the tournament where she scored a combined 71 points in wins in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. On the season, the All-American is averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor, 43 percent from 3-point land and 88 percent from the charity stripe.
