Top 5 most followed March Madness stars on Instagram feat. Paige Bueckers, Cooper Flagg and more

The 2025 March Madness is ongoing and it has been an exciting experience for college hoop fans and experts. With the tournament revolving around the players, they have garnered a lot of fans online.

Some stand out above the rest in terms of social media following. Here are the five most followed March Madness stars on Instagram.

Paige Bueckers (UConn) - 2.2 million

NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Spokane Regional-Oklahoma vs UConn - Source: Imagn

UConn's Paige Bueckers tops the list for both men and women. She is also the top-ranked prospect for the 2025 WNBA draft. Bueckers is leading the Huskies in scoring with 19.8 points and led UConn to retain its Big East title and advanced to the Elite Eight.

Off the court, Bueckers has been rolling in lucrative NIL deals, becoming the first college basketball player to launch her customized Nike shoes and the first to sign with Unrivaled.

Flau'jae Johnson (LSU) - 2.1 million

NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Spokane Regional Practice - Source: Imagn

Flau'jae Johnson's "can do it all" mentality catapulted her as one of the best success stories in women's college basketball. A basketball star and a rising star in the music industry, Johnson achieved her status without professional representation from any agent or agency according to her mother, Kia Brooks.

On the court, Johnson is one of Kim Mulkey's best players this season despite her recent injuries. The LSU star has signed NIL deals, including with PUMA, Unrivaled, Powerade and JBL, among others.

Hailey Van Lith (TCU) - 1.2 million

Syndication: Austin American-Statesman - Source: Imagn

Hailey Van Lith's turnaround season with TCU has inspired many. A challenging 2023-24 season with LSU saw her enter the transfer portal and landed with Mark Campbell's team. It paid off as she is a cornerstone for TCU.

For the first time, the Horned Frogs won the Big 12 conference title and advanced to the Elite Eight after defeating Notre Dame on Saturday. Off the court, Van Lith often shows off her chic fashion styles which have endeared her to fans and earned her more Instagram followers. She also has NIL deals with Adidas, Billionaire Girls Club and others.

JuJu Watkins (USC) - 1.1 million

NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round USC-Mississippi State - Source: Imagn

JuJu Watkins' stellar season with USC ended with an unfortunate ACL injury during the second-round game against Mississippi State. However, the Trojans sophomore broke multiple records, including becoming the fastest to reach 1,000 points. Many already project her as the next face of women's college basketball after Paige Bueckers.

Off the court, Watkins has a massive following on Instagram. Her NIL deals fuel her following, including with United Airlines and State Farm, among others.

Cooper Flagg (Duke) - 1 million

Alabama v Duke - Source: Getty

Rounding up the list is Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg. He is projected as the No. 1 pick for the 2025 NBA draft. He leads the Blue Devils in scoring (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2) and steals (1.4).

Flagg's explosive season earned him a huge following on Instagram. He has also secured lucrative NIL deals which have made him the highest-earning college basketball player with a valuation of $4.8 million, according to On3. With Duke in the Final Four, Flagg is in the running for the Player of the Year award.