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Dawn Staley Makes Her Opinion On JuJu Watkins Extremely Clear

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Apr 5, 2025 2:07 PM ET

USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins' season ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament due to a torn ACL, yet the sophomore guard continues to rack up awards.

In addition to winning AP Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year and being named Big Ten Player of the Year, Watkins was also given this year's Dawn Staley Award.

As revealed in a release by the team, the award is given to a player who "exemplifies the skills" that the South Carolina head coach had during her career. The program also released a statement from Staley regarding Watkins, who raved about seemingly every aspect of her game.

“JuJu Watkins is more than a gifted athlete; she is a transformative player who has elevated our sport at an incredibly early stage in her career," Staley said. "A passionate competitor, her creativity and athleticism make her a must watch player and her basketball IQ and ever-expanding skill set make her a nightmare for opponents every second she is on the court. I couldn’t be more honored to have her name etched alongside this award.”

Watkins joins notable stars such as Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Plum and Skylar Diggins as players who have won the award.

On the year, Watkins averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game. She also saw an uptick in her shooting percentage compared to her freshman season, which saw her hit 40.1% of her shots, as she finished the year having made 42.6% of her shots.

Without Watkins, USC advanced to the Elite Eight before the UConn Huskies blew them out. The Trojans' roster will look extremely different next season without Watkins, but assuming she returns the following year, fans will be ecstatic to have her back.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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