Mikayla Blakes Is Making Her Case: A Real Challenger to Sarah Strong for National Player of the Year
Mikayla Blakes isn’t just heating up-she’s scorching. After logging her fourth consecutive 30-point performance, the Vanderbilt star has firmly planted herself in the National Player of the Year conversation. And if you ask her head coach, Shea Ralph, there shouldn’t even be a debate.
“Prove me wrong,” Ralph said Thursday night, motioning to Blakes after Vanderbilt’s statement win over No. 4 Texas. “That’s the SEC Player of the Year and the National Player of the Year.”
Ralph, a former UConn standout and six-time national champion as an assistant under Geno Auriemma, knows a thing or two about elite talent. She’s now steering a resurgent Vanderbilt program that’s right in the thick of the SEC title race, and Blakes is the engine behind it all.
Against Texas, Blakes poured in 34 points and helped the Commodores build a commanding 26-point lead in the second half. It was yet another showcase of her scoring prowess and leadership in crunch-time moments. And it wasn’t just a one-off-this is who she’s been all season.
Since dropping back-to-back games to close out January, Vanderbilt has rattled off four straight SEC wins, climbing to within a half-game of South Carolina for the top spot in the conference. Blakes has been the driving force, now leading the nation in scoring at 26.2 points per game.
But her case for the Naismith Trophy goes beyond just buckets. Blakes is also averaging around 4.5 assists and three steals per game-right in line with UConn’s Sarah Strong, the current frontrunner for the award.
The difference? Blakes is putting up those numbers in the SEC, arguably the deepest and most physical conference in the country. She’s doing it while carrying a Vanderbilt team that’s making serious noise nationally under Ralph’s guidance.
That said, Strong isn’t giving up her grip on the award without a fight.
The 6-foot-2 UConn star is one of the most complete players in the country, pairing elite efficiency with defensive dominance. She matches Blakes in assists and steals, but also adds 1.6 blocks per game and boasts a significantly higher effective field goal percentage. Strong also shoots better from the free-throw line and logs her stats in about seven fewer minutes per game-an efficiency edge that can’t be ignored.
Still, the eye test matters, and Blakes continues to pass it with flying colors.
Meanwhile, Strong had to dig deep in UConn’s road win at Marquette. After a quiet first half where she managed just three points on 1-of-9 shooting, she erupted in the third quarter, dropping 15 points in a single frame to help the Huskies pull away for a 71-56 win. It was a reminder of her ability to flip a switch and take over a game in an instant.
This race is far from settled. Strong brings the polish, the pedigree, and the stat-sheet efficiency.
Blakes brings the fire, the volume, and the SEC battle-testing. What we’re watching is a classic head-to-head for the sport’s top individual honor, with both players delivering signature performances down the stretch.
One thing’s for sure: if Mikayla Blakes keeps this up, the Naismith committee is going to have a real decision on its hands.