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Sports Media Called Out For Coverage Of USC Star JuJu Watkins

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Mar 6, 2025 11:41 AM ET

JuJu Watkins will lead her USC Trojans to a national title pursuit this March. Ahead of the NCAA tournament, one writer wondered why the superstar sophomore isn't receiving more recognition.

One of the nation's best all-around players, Watkins is averaging 24.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game this season. The 19-year-old scored 30 points in Saturday's massive win over UCLA, which dropped to 27-2 with two losses against USC.

Following that clutch performance, Stephen A. Smith praised the "spectacular" Watkins while asking why the 19-year-old isn't getting more coverage.

"When are we going to talk about her the same way we're talking about Caitlin Clark?" Smith asked of Watkins on First Take, a nationally televised ESPN show with the ability to drive daily sports conversations.

Katie Lever posed that same question to Smith and the rest of sports media in an essay published Thursday on Awful Announcing.

"In an industry that has (seemingly) finally woken up to the talent and potential of women's sports, where is all the love for JuJu Watkins?" Lever wrote. "Coming off of last season’s coverage surrounding Clark, the lack of similar hype surrounding Watkins is a real head scratcher."

Lever noted that Watkins has excelled in high-pressure moments at Southern Cal and racked up endorsement deals. She reached 1,000 career points in 20 fewer games than the program's all-time scoring leader, Cheryl Miller.

Watkins also hit that milestone quicker than Clark. The Iowa guard received immense attention en route to becoming the NCAA's all-time leading scorer and leading the Hawkeyes back to the National Championship Game.

Many fans hoped that outlets starting to focus more on women's college basketball would continue to promote the game's new stars. However, the spotlight quickly dimmed when Clark joined the WNBA.

"Watkins is just as much of a star both on and off the court as Caitlin Clark was in college, but inexplicably without the accompanying hype," Lever wrote.

However, Lever doesn't want the conversation to devolve into a Clark vs. Watkins debate.

"To be clear, comparing Watkins to Clark isn't about pitting two successful women against each other. Women in the public eye get enough of that treatment already. But the discrepancy in coverage between the two is both stark and telling," Lever said.

"Clark deserved her flowers last season, and Watkins is more than poised to reach the same heights Clark did – and Watkins might even exceed Clark’s success if USC can win a national championship before Watkins’s career ends."

While there are still plenty of talented female college stars, Lever lamented "a glaring shortage of coverage" of them.

"It’s time that sports media stop treating women’s basketball like a passing trend, and commit to quality, consistent coverage of the sport and the women that make it great – especially JuJu Watkins."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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