Madison Booker has quietly become one of the most talked-about players in women's college basketball. And the people talking are not just analysts or coaches. They are the best players in American women’s basketball.

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, is one of them, and she made that clear in a recent interview with Sportsish CEO and Founder Lily Shimbashi.

"I'm also a huge fan of Madison Booker," Bueckers said. "I really like her game and the way she plays. I think, too, she's keeping the mid-range game alive. That's like my bread and butter, so I love when another person that's where they thrive."

Coming from Paige Bueckers, that is not a throwaway compliment. It is a sign of respect between two players who know each other's games well.

The two spent back-to-back seasons competing for the same awards. Both were Wooden Award finalists and Wade Trophy candidates in 2025, with Bueckers ultimately taking the Wade.

And while Bueckers is in the pros, Madison Booker is still in Austin finishing what her former rival started.

Madison Booker Is Once Again a Wooden Award Finalist as Texas Eyes Another Final Four Run

Booker's postseason resume this year makes the case on its own, as she is a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and a Wooden All-American for the second straight season, joining Paige Bueckers as one of the few players in women’s basketball to earn back-to-back recognition at that level.

She was named MVP of the SEC Tournament and Most Outstanding Player of the Fort Worth 3 Regional. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament, she set a Texas program record with 40 points in a single game. She has scored 90 points across four tournament games on 58.6% shooting.

Madison Booker now has 1,963 career points, placing her fifth on the Texas all-time scoring list. She is the first player in program history to reach 1,900 points, 600 rebounds, and 400 assists. Her 228 NCAA Tournament points rank second in Texas history, behind only Clarissa Davis.

With a Final Four matchup against UCLA on April 4 in Phoenix, Madison Booker has a chance to add another chapter to a postseason run that has already defined her legacy at Texas.

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Arvind Rao