There weren’t many surprises when the Wooden Award, celebrating its 50th anniversary, announced its mid-season Top 25. From Aaliyah Chavez being one of only two freshmen on the list to as many as three LSU players being named, the fanbase is already debating who they think is the favorite to win the award.

This list also includes familiar names like Audi Crooks, Hannah Hidalgo, and Azzi Fudd. Rebecca Lobo of ESPN was asked about her frontrunner. She pointed straight at the UConn Huskies forward, Sarah Strong.

The basketball analyst labeled the UConn sophomore “the best passing big” amidst many other praises.

“Right now, my frontrunner is UConn sophomore Sarah Strong,” Lobo said of the UConn standout. “She has been absolutely spectacular once again this season… The stat that really gets me is that she is a top 3 in the Big East in all top 5 major categories – points, rebounds, steals, assists, and blocks.”

The principal of The Los Angeles Athletic Club usually presents the Wooden Award, which features a late-season list and a national ballot that narrows the field to 15 players.

Sarah Strong, alongside Azzi Fudd, has been leading the UConn Huskies’ charge to defend their NCAA title this season. The sophomore is averaging 18.4 points per game and has achieved that by shooting 59.5% from the field.

However, the 6-foot-2 forward’s average of 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game makes for even more impressive reading. The 19-year-old player has even improved her free-throw percentage, now making 87.5% of her attempts.

The Huskies have been ranked No. 1 each week this season with a 16-0 record. They’re practically unstoppable at this point. That said, what’s in store for Strong in the future?

Sarah Strong is expected to be the top pick in WNBA draft

The 2026 WNBA Draft is still a fair distance away. However, a few players have already separated themselves from the pack. The Huskies’ Azzi Fudd is up there, so are Lauren Betts, Gianna Kneepkens, Olivia Miles, and Awa Fam, who currently plays in Europe.

Bear in mind that Sarah Strong will not be eligible for the 2026 draft. According to the WNBA rules, a draft prospect needs to 1) graduate with a college degree and 2) be turning 22 years old in the calendar year that their draft is being held in. Even if Strong were to earn a three-year degree, she won’t turn 22 until 2028. But one can confidently say that if she were permitted in the upcoming draft, Strong would probably take up one of the top spots alongside Fudd.

Strong’s season with the Huskies is proving to be dominant on another level. She ranks at or near the top of almost every list in stats in the Big East, and her overall game is becoming a real draw as far as the WNBA is concerned.

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Last season, Strong was the only player to have 20 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in an NCAA Tournament game in the last 25 years.

Not many bigs can pass as effortlessly and have the same vision that Strong has shown. This makes her hard to defend. Her ability to steal the ball and block effortlessly allows her to defend from positions 1-5. Her two-way prowess gives her the versatility to be deployed as a guard if needed.

All eyes are on the Huskies’ title defense. If Strong continues producing these numbers, it’d surely help her win the Wooden Award by the end of the season.