“We’re all just killing it”: USC’s JuJu Watkins thrilled by the ‘well-deserved’ spotlight on women’s college basketball

USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins

JuJu Watkins enjoyed a great freshman season, as she led the USC Trojans to their first Elite Eight appearance since 1994. Despite the loss to the UConn Huskies, fans saw Watkins’ depth of talent and leadership, which made her the face of the team.

Besides JuJu Watkins, women’s college basketball has been also been receiving attention in the past two years. The guard, making an appearance on NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Boston Celtics, said about the growth of women’s basketball:

“It’s definitely so exciting. I mean, just to see the crowds. We’re getting the support, the media attention, it just inspires me to keep working harder, and the attention is very well deserved.

“So many great players um in the W and in college right now on the women’s side, and we’re all just killing it honestly, so I’m excited to see how well my peers and I do.”

Caitlin Clark offers JuJu Watkins help to navigate all the attention

With Caitlin Clark moving to the WNBA, JuJu Watkins, along with Hannah Hidalgo, are set to be the next generation of representatives for women’s college basketball. This role comes with a huge amount of pressure, and nobody understands it better than Clark.

To help the young star with this tedious task, the former Iowa guard is said to have offered her help to Watkins when they met at the Wooden Awards in April. USC Coach Lindsay Gottlieb recalled their exchange during an interview with the Orange County Register.

“She was like, ‘I had this attention for a year and a half, two years,’” Gottlieb said. “She said to JuJu, ‘You’re going to have it for the next three.’”

On May 24, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were at USC’s Galen Center for their game against LA Sparks. Clark once again offered her help and even entered her number on Gottlieb’s phone.

“I’m certainly going to utilize that as a resource, if she’s this willing,” the coach said. “I think that’s just a neat thing. And I do think it’s really cool on her part to be willing to pay it forward, so to speak, and help someone else.”

“For JuJu, there’s not that many people who probably understand what her life might be like. And Caitlin’s one of them.”

The Trojans have made big moves this off-season, bringing in Kiki Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen along with top-ranked incoming freshman Kennedy Smith. With the right pieces in place, the Trojans are looking at another historic run in 2025.

What do you think of JuJu Watkins’ performances with the USC Trojans? Let’s know your thoughts in the comments section below: