Who Is Audi Crooks? Introducing the Iowa State Basketball Sensation
Fans of college basketball are becoming more familiar with Audi Crooks, a 6-foot-3 center who deserves the spotlight.
Competing for the Iowa University Cyclones, Crooks’ journey is quite remarkable, with her basketball roots tracing back to long before her childhood. During a March 2025 interview amidst last year’s March Madness, Crooks revealed that both she and her mother, Michelle, attended the same high school, where her mother holds a record. “Walking through those halls and seeing her name and face on that record board was definitely inspirational and motivational for me,” Crooks shared.
This season, Crooks is earning considerable attention and is on track to become the first NCAA women’s basketball player to average one point per minute played in the 2025-26 season, currently averaging 29.3 points in 26.8 minutes, according to ESPN.
This statistic has caught the eye of sports commentator Pat McAfee, who tweeted on January 6, 2026, “My favorite women’s college basketball team resides in Ames, Iowa.. NO QUESTION.”
Keep scrolling to discover more about the Iowa sensation, Audi Crooks.
She’s Being Compared to Shaq
Even while still in college, Crooks is drawing comparisons to professional basketball stars, notably Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, renowned for his dominant presence on the court. In fact, one of Crooks’ nicknames is Baby Shaq, reflecting her own fearless style of play.
Her teammate, Emily Ryan, mentioned in an interview with Slam Magazine in March 2025, “She just dominates. It’s what she does, and having that enforcer in the paint is huge for us. You know what to expect from her every single day. She’s incredibly consistent.”
Setting Records at Iowa
In January 2025, Crooks made history as the fastest player to reach 1,000 points in Iowa State’s program, achieving this milestone during a 29-point game against Utah.
Her Mother Was a Basketball Player Too
In a March 2025 interview with Ilana Raia, Crooks revealed that her mother played basketball as well. When asked about her role models during her teenage years, Crooks stated, “Obviously, my mom — she actually attended the same high school I did and she held a basketball record at that school, so walking through those halls and seeing her name and face on that record board was definitely inspirational and motivational for me.”
