"Shaq reinvented": Fans go wild over Audi Crooks as the 20-year-old star leads Iowa State past Kansas

On the first day of 2025, the Iowa State Cyclones defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 78-64, for their 10th win of the season. Center Audi Crooks paved the way to the victory, notching up 33 points on an efficient 13-for-18 clip, seven rebounds, an assist and two blocks.

She was an immovable force in the paint all throughout the fixture, which is why fans have since praised Crooks on social media for her dominant showing on Wednesday.

"Shaq reinvented," one fan captioned in comparison to four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal.

"This is why women’s basketball is great. They still play fundamental basketball, getting into the paint, driving to the basket…Not just shooting 3's all the time like the NBA," another expressed while discussing the parallel between Crooks' playstyle and the way the game is played today.

"Way better than JuJu,"a user shared.

With all the comparisons coming her way, Crooks is simply just winning over more fans towards her side.

"That’s what I’m talking about. Put that work in down in that paint," one user wrote.

"She be getting bucket buckets," another posted.

"Post. Moves," a user stated.

"She was hooping!," another user said with a flexing emoji.

As Crooks is taking the college basketball scene by storm, she is set to lead the Cyclones in the Big 12 Conference this year. The 6'3 stalwart is just in her second stint of collegiate hoops, so she will use her experience from last year's conference play into a deep run this season.

Iowa State will face the Utah Utes on Saturday, Jan. 5, on their homefloor, hoping to improve on their 1-1 conference standing thus far.

Audi Crooks is poised to be Iowa State's leading scorer this season

Crooks has seemingly taken on the reins as the Cyclones' leading scorer with a current average of 22.1 points to go along with 8.1 boards and 1.9 dimes per game. These are higher tallies than her freshman averages of 19.2 markers, 7.8 caroms and 1.0 assists per contest.

As a 1-2 punch to forward Addy Brown, who is pitching in 14.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game in her own right, the Iowa State frontcourt may just be one of the most dominant forces in college basketball this year.

Despite still being unranked, the Cyclones are aiming for a better finish in the campaign than last season's national tournament second-round elimination.