Who next? More like, what next! College basketball has for several years been led by strong names who have proven their skills time and again. So, as Paige Bueckers leaves for the professional grounds, who would take up her spot? So far, it had been USC’s JuJu Watkins. However, with her torn ACL, she has already missed her team’s March Madness tourney and is bound to lose some, if not all, of the next season. For the upcoming year then, there are many stars making noise. But maybe, just maybe, Bueckers’ UConn teammate and freshman Sarah Strong can be it! But there’s more to this story.

If Watkins does return next season, given that Phil Handy’s latest update where the star sophomore cleared “Phil, man I’m ready. I’m gonna come back stronger,” is going to be correct, we will have two standouts fighting for the throne. And when JuJu returns, her decisions can alter many things like USC’s plans. But also, her own WNBA path. However, she’s not going to be alone when her commitment is finally announced.

Watkins has certainly kept up with her freshman season, delivering results day in and day out, leading USC to a 31-4 season and the top in Big Ten while averaging 23.9 points and 6.8 rebounds. But she now has a competition to keep an eye on. UConn’s freshman Sarah Strong has made waves in Storrs. While averaging 16.4 points and 8.9 rebounds, but upgrading the numbers in the postseason, the forward has set an alarm with how she contributes on the floor outside of the stat sheets. So, when the time comes, who will you pick? That’s the question that has left the basketball world wondering about the ‘what ifs’.

The fire of speculations only caught more air when I talk hoops tweeted, “There’s a world where JuJu Watkins decides to sit out the upcoming season, using both of her final years of eligibility, and enters the 2028 WNBA Draft that features Sarah Strong,” wrote I Talk Hoops on X. “If you were a GM with the No. 1 overall pick, who would you choose?”

JuJu Watkins went down in a gritty battle against Mississippi State and her injury was reported as a torn ACL. Now the ACL recovery usually takes 9 to 12 months or even more, depending on the case. Think Rori Harmon bouncing back in 10 months or Charlisse Leger-Walker or Olivia Miles, Azzi Fudd, and Paige Bueckers, all taking significant time off of the hardwood to make a full recovery. But her next move is what’s going to make everything much more interesting.

If JuJu sits out next season to heal up right, she could play two more years at USC, landing her in the 2028 WNBA Draft. And that’s where things get wild, because Sarah Strong would be right there with her. The battle then won’t just be for the college basketball crown but also the WNBA throne since both the players are complete standouts.

On one hand is JuJu who goes by the book, plays relentlessly, and does anything and everything to lead her team to greater heights. She doesn’t have a regular season and post season phase because she is set throughout the year. And then we have Sarah.

The Geno Auriemma standout has turned heads this season, more like this NCAA Tournament. She elevated her stats to 22 points and 13 rebounds over the final three tournament matchups. Moreover, she became the first man or woman to post at least 20 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in the championship game. And this is after she already defends the perimeter, screens for teammates, protects the rim, and create shot for herself while also shooting efficiently. So who are you going to choose when the choice comes down to these two elite players?

That single tweet cracked open a question that’s haunted fans ever since.

Clash for the Crown: JuJu vs. Sarah in the Battle for No. 1

Strong has only been in the college basketball landscape for a year and certainly has a lot to prove still, despite having become one of the brightest names in the Huskies squad already. While on the other hand, Watkins has been crashing the scorecards for some time. Hence, one fan noted, “Depends on what Sarah Strong becomes… we already know what JuJu is.” While the sentiment reflects JuJu’s established stardom, it might be selling Sarah Strong short.

For starters, she’s the WBCA National Freshman of the Year, First-Team All-Big East, and Big East Freshman of the Year. She dropped 24 points in the NCAA championship game against South Carolina and with 114 total points, she now holds the record for most points by a freshman in a single NCAA tournament.

In the postseason, Strong averaged 19 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2 blocks per game—all while sharing the floor with elite scorers like Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers. She didn’t just hold her own—she dominated.

Another fan wrote, “I’m leaning toward Sarah but there is no wrong answer. Really, it depends on the needs of the team. For efficiency—Sarah. Dawg? JuJu.”

This is also true since both the players play at different positions, and none can take place of the other in that respect. Still, let’s look at the numbers. Strong shot 64.4% from the field and 50% from three in the postseason. In her the entire 2024–25 campaign, she averaged 16.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 3.4 APG on 58.4% shooting, including 37.9% from beyond the arc. That’s elite production with elite efficiency.

JuJu Watkins, on the other hand, is a walking bucket with a scorer’s mindset. She shot 41.2% from the field and 32.2% from three this season—less efficient but undeniably explosive. As NBA star DeMar DeRozan put it: “We’ve seen the Caitlin Clarks, but I think JuJu Watkins is going to challenge all of those young ladies to another level because she got that dawg in her.”

Watkins is poised to rise even higher—but an unfortunate injury may delay that trajectory.

One fan summed it up with a surprisingly fitting NBA analogy: “I’m taking Tim Duncan over T-Mac.” Sarah Strong is Duncan-like—methodical, efficient, and fundamentally sound. She doesn’t need flash; she gets it done with precision and purpose. Her numbers back it up. She is quietly dominant and relentlessly reliable.

JuJu, though? She’s Tracy McGrady. A human highlight reel. Bold. Electric. Capable of scoring in bunches. You give her the ball when the shot clock’s dying, and you need a miracle. And sure, the efficiency isn’t always there—but the ceiling is.

One fan captured it perfectly: “Sarah Strong. Versatile. Scores at all 3 levels. Finishes at an amazing clip. IQ off the charts. Affects the game like not many other players.” That’s not just X talk. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley praised her recently, saying, “The (basketball) IQ is off the charts. The skill set—off the charts. Big play after big play after big play. In the next three years, she might be the best player to come out of UConn.” That’s no small praise in a program that produced Breanna Stewart.

Strong had a double-double in that mid-February matchup against Staley’s Gamecocks, tallying 16 points and 13 rebounds. She now holds UConn’s freshman records for most rebounds (341) and second-most assists (137). Ex-teammate Paige Bueckers put it simply: “The foundation she’s laid as a freshman is unreal. The fact that she’s going to get better is extremely scary.”

And then there’s the uncertainty around Watkins. One fan chimed in, “If wise, she’ll sit out next season, then play one year and go pro. Injuries are the only thing keeping her from legend.” That fear isn’t unfounded. Torn ACL is an injury that reshaped the careers of players like Azzi Fudd. Recovery times vary– Some, like Rori Harmon, returned in 10 months; others, like Charlisse Leger-Walker, needed a redshirt season.

If Watkins follows the average timeline, she might return late in the 2025–26 season. But returning mid-season brings its own set of challenges—team chemistry, postseason pressure, and long-term health risks.