Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo was one of the top freshmen in women's college basketball last season, and now she is one of the strongest Player of the Year candidates for 2025. As she continues to turn heads, basketball elites are learning her name.
NBA legend Dwyane Wade watched Notre Dame's game against UConn on Dec. 12, and despite being a self-described Paige Bueckers fan, he loved what he saw from Hidalgo. Wade was aware Hidalgo was good, but she surpassed his expectations once he actually paid close attention.
— Hannah Hidalgo (@HannahHidalgo) January 7, 2025
Notre Dame beat UConn 79-68 while Hidalgo tallied 29 points and 10 rebounds. Her performance earned her a lot of respect from one of the most popular players in NBA history.
"She's like (5-foot-6) and she's a dog," Wade said. "Averages like seven rebounds a game type dog. And when we say dog in hoops, that means something. This is a hoop term. We talking in hoop terms. It's just straight hooper's dog."
The Fighting Irish are currently 12-2 with some of their biggest wins coming against USC, Texas, UConn and North Carolina. Hidalgo is a key part of No. 3 Notre Dame's success because she plays with a lot of energy on both sides of the court. She is averaging 25.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.9 steals per contest.
