Let Her Cook: NCAA Women’s Basketball Athletes to Keep An Eye On In the Upcoming Season
Earlier this month, WNBA stars showed up for the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis wearing t-shirts reading, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” The protest spotlighted ongoing labor negotiations and a stark pay gap between WNBA players and the revenue they help generate. The WNBA is more popular than ever, and these women are the reasons why, but they only receive 9.3% of what they bring in. Without equitable salaries, league all-stars rely on NIL money from brand endorsements and international play for support.
On July 14th, Gatorade launched its “Let Her Cook” campaign with a promotional video, showcasing trailblazing WNBA players like A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, and Caitlin Clark. In this moment of cultural and contractual tensions, the brands that aren’t afraid to get political are especially important. Instead of taking advantage of the athletes by simply profiting off their rising popularity, Gatorade is prioritizing the women’s interests. The “Let Her Cook” campaign implies the sustained oppressions these women face and emphasizes their groundbreaking achievements by confronting sexist tropes. Gatorade is using colloquial nuance and clever copy to perpetuate important conversations regarding the historic impact we’re witnessing for women’s rights.
The athletes featured in Gatorade’s campaign have ushered in a golden era for Women’s Basketball, and it’s only getting brighter when we look at the NCAA college athletes that are training for the upcoming season. Hopefully, by the time they’re hitting the WNBA themselves, they’ll be getting paid what they’re owed due to the efforts made today. We’re only about 100 days out from the start of the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season, and you’re going to want to keep an eye on these upcoming all-stars, because they’re cooking.
Saniyah Hall
Saniyah Hall averaged 19.9 ppg and was named the MVP of the U19 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Last Friday, she announced her commitment to USC, contributing to an already promising comeback. The team is ramping up for a great season with Hall, JuJu Watkins, and Jazzy Davidson. Hall’s FIBA performance was just a preview of what USC fans can expect from her upcoming freshman season.
Janiah Barker
Janiah Barker averaged 12.2 ppg and committed to Tennessee for the upcoming season. Barker won the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year and is the perfect fit for the Lady Vols. Her abilities were stifled at UCLA, but you can get excited for a competitive year from Tennessee because of this transfer. She’s a veteran, a powerful forward, and a strong shooter with a high defensive IQ.
Kate Koval
Kate Koval averaged 5.3 ppg her freshman year and has recently gotten attention for leaving Notre Dame and officially committing to LSU. She’s a six foot five international student from Ukraine, and a powerhouse forward. It’s a cohesive choice for both Koval and LSU, and you can look forward to Koval’s growth throughout the next three seasons. Especially alongside other veterans and high-impact transfers like MiLaysia Fulwiley, Amiya Joyner, and Flau’jae Johnson.
Flau’jae Johnson
Flau’jae Johnson averaged 18.6 ppg and started LSU on its recent success path. She’s a jack-of-all-trades and a significant contender for next year’s WNBA draft, since she skipped the 2025 draft. She potentially skipped out on the draft due to financial collective bargaining agreements, building her music career, and focusing on NIL offers. It’s only a matter of time before her name is on par with the WNBA All-Stars in Gatorade’s campaign.
Azzi Fudd
Azzi Fudd averaged 13.6 ppg; she won the 2019 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award and was named the number one player in her class by ESPN. With greatness in her namesake, she’s a threatening guard. She missed games last season because of her ACL injury but came back strong, contributing to UConn’s championship win. She’s definitely on track for this year's National Player of the Year.
Olivia Miles
Olivia Miles averaged 15.4 ppg and was another potential top pick in this year’s WNBA draft, but she chose to enter the transfer portal. While her motives are unconfirmed, the financial benefits of waiting out the current collective bargaining agreements, again, can’t be ignored. Her gameplay is electric, and she’s entering this season as the most accomplished college basketball point guard. Fans have speculated a commitment to LSU, but Miles is eyeing long-term gains, and wherever she lands, she’ll bring all-star power.
Ta’Niya Latson
Ta’Niya Latson averaged 25.2 ppg and recently transferred from Florida State to South Carolina, which means we can almost certainly look forward to a redemption arc for last season’s championship runner-up. She’s focusing on taking her time, completing her degree, and developing further before taking her talents to the WNBA. She will attempt to win a National Championship with the Gamecocks. Her stats are staggeringly impressive, and her offensive instincts are brilliant. She has an incredibly bright future ahead.
Considering stars like these, Gatorade got it right. They’re cooking and we’re about to eat–only if we pay them what we owe them. The women’s game has never been better. So, who else do you think we should keep our eyes on in the upcoming season?
