Her dance might have been abruptly ended by a season-ending ACL injury but her performances haven’t gone unnoticed! JuJu Watkins is the Naismith Player of the Year. As always, the competition was fierce. Paige Bueckers, Hannah Hidalgo, Ta’Niya Latson–the list of worthy contenders was long. But one player, gearing up for her Final Four showdown, is bound to feel the sting of this decision.

Watkins had a phenomenal season.  She averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on 42.6% shooting. Her freaky output was ranked fourth in the nation. Her performances powered USC to a 31-4 record and a Big Ten regular-season title. But there’s one player who played a huge role in taking down USC in the conference tournament final–and she’s got to be feeling disappointed right now.

Yes, you are right! UCLA Bruins’ star player Lauren Betts will be wondering what more does she have to do, to win the National Player of the Year award? She was pivotal in leading the Bruins to their first-ever No. 1 overall seed on Selection Sunday. But that was just the beginning.

Betts didn’t stop there. She powered UCLA to their first Final Four in program history, delivering clutch performances all season long. It was a record-breaking season for her and the Bruins. She averaged close to 20 points and 10 rebounds, but sadly, she won’t have the NPOY to show for it.

Fans, too, were largely unhappy seeing this. Many couldn’t wrap their heads around JuJu Watkins winning the award over Lauren Betts. And, as expected, they flocked to social media to air their frustrations. Let’s dive into some of those fan reactions that has JuJu reeling.

 Fans fume as JuJu Watkins wins the NPOY

Fans were clearly unhappy with the decision.  “Juju Watkins is great, Lauren Betts is better. I guess you handed her the award before the season even started and fg% doesn’t matter. When one player shoots over 20% better, it shouldn’t be a discussion,” commented one fan.  Another joined in saying, “Betts robbed smh.”

Yes Betts did have a better field goal percentage. She shot 64.9% from the field and JuJu shot 42.6% from the field. But that is to be expected! A player who feeds the paint is bound to have a better efficiency rate. JuJu is a point guard, her role is different from that of Betts.

Another fan joined in, highlighting how Betts deserved to win by saying, “How does this make sense ? She literally stat padded all season and shot a bad percent while doing it all to average less than 25 ppg? That pr lookin crazy my guy.” When you compare the past winners, it’s hard not to see why fans are frustrated. Paige Bueckers won the NPOY with a stunning 52% shooting efficiency. Caitlin Clark took home the award in her last season, averaging close to 31 points per game, and 28 points in her second-to-last season. JuJu’s 23.9 points on 42.6% shooting just doesn’t feel as impressive in comparison. But does that mean JuJu didn’t deserve it? Absolutely not!

Of course, there were fans who supported the decision to crown JuJu the NPOY as well!  “Some of ya’ll are real slow. This is for her performance for the entire year, not just spurts of greatness! Juju 100% deserves this award. She’s been a beast on the court the ENTIRE season!” one fan remarked. Another joined in congratulating Watkins by saying, “So deserved! FIGHT ON Juju!! Gooo niece!!!”

Regardless of what fans feel about JuJu stat-padding, she didn’t! This is the same player who handed the Bruins their only two defeats this season. JuJu dropped 30 and 38 points in those two games, showing she’s got the ability to perform under pressure. The showdown between Betts and Watkins had a clear regular-season winner– it was the USC superstar.

Watkins created history this season, as well. She surpassed Caitlin Clark on the list of the most points scored in the first two seasons of a player’s college career in women’s college basketball. Clark scored 1,662 points in her freshman and sophomore seasons, while JuJu finished this season with 1,709 points. That’s how impactful she’s been!

Fans might have a problem with JuJu’s efficiency, but there’s no denying that, prior to her injury, she was on pace to break Caitlin Clark’s all-time NCAA record. If anyone truly deserved to win the NPOY this season, it was her. Let’s not forget that Betts wasn’t even the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year. That honor went to JuJu as well!