Hannah Hidalgo led an Olivia Miles-less Notre Dame to the Elite 8. Considering that Miles is now the favorite to win the Rookie Of The Year, that achievement has further increased in magnitude. She did that by being a defensive menace, breaking the single-season steals record in the Sweet 16 win over Vanderbilt. After one of the greatest defensive seasons in NCAA history, Hidalgo was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Beyond her ability, she has revealed her attitude that made her the best defender in the country, leaving Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston terrified.
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“It’s not really a mindset I kinda have going into the season, thinking I’m going to get this accolade or that accolade,” Hannah Hidalgo said in her interview on Post Moves. “I just go in thinking that every person I guard, I’m going to make it the worst day of their life every time they try to bring the ball up the floor.”
That attitude was visible in every play Hidalgo was in this past season. At 5’6″, Hidalgo is among the lower-tier sizes among the guards, and yet she is the best defender among them. Her intensity and stamina are the key factors as she takes advantage of the split-second lapses from her opponents. So much so that Geno Auriemma, one of the best coaches of all time, raved about Hidalgo.
“Have you seen Hannah Hidalgo play? Man, I don’t think I’ve seen a performance like what she had yesterday in a long, long time. She’s like the Lawrence Taylor of basketball,” he said. Hidalgo averages a whopping 4.7 steals per game over her three-year career. But it’s one thing to be talented and another to be as hungry to defend as Hidalgo is. Listening to Hidalgo’s attitude left Aliyah Boston in chills as she pleaded with Hidalgo to take it easy on her once she gets to the WNBA.
“I like that. That kind of gave me chills. I don’t know how to explain it. Like, damn,” Boston replied. “Yeah, you got to be careful when you get to the league. Please keep your distance. Please.”
According to Bleacher Report’s way-too-early 2027 mock draft, Hidalgo should go at No. 3 to the Toronto Tempo. With the Fever likely in the upper half of the table, they are not expected to get a top 5 pick in the next draft. So, Boston and Hidalgo will very likely go up against each other next year.
Considering Boston sometimes acts as the primary ball handler, Hidalgo could be a genuine threat to the Fever star. Hidalgo looks at defense and steals, while others focus on their offensive game, making that sword sharper.
“It’s a feeling. When you get hot, hitting shots, it’s kind of like that. They’re scared now. I’m in their mind,” Hidalgo further said. “I’m in their head right now, so I can make it even worse. I can make them even more uncomfortable and make them feel like they don’t even want to bring the ball up the floor. Every time they bring it up the floor, I’m looking to jab, get them uncomfortable, and force a turnover somehow.”
That defense will make her draft stock even more valuable when the time comes, as even WNBA stars are already wary of her. She has instilled that feeling of fear in her opponents, which increases with each action.
That self-doubt forces the opponents to make more mistakes for Hidalgo to capitalize on. Sometimes, a turnover wouldn’t have happened with any other defender than Hidalgo. The guard’s aura has elevated her to another level.