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USC Shares Major JuJu Watkins News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lorenzo J. Reyna | Last updated May 2, 2025 9:00 PM ET

JuJu Watkins continues to stack accolade after accolade with the USC Trojans. Now she's landed a prestigious on-campus award before the school year ends.

USC announced that Watkins is the recipient of the Female Athlete of the Year at the Tommy Awards -- which annually honors the school's top athletes.

The 19-year-old is fresh off an epic sophomore season that saw her game raise another level. Watkins improved her field goal percentage to 42.6%. She improved her three-point percentage too, building it to 32.5%. She went on to average 23.9 points per game.

The Los Angeles native delivered seven straight games of scoring 20 or more points before her devastating knee injury. Watkins tore her ACL during the second round rout against Mississippi State. The Trojans still defeated the Southeastern Conference power 96-59 without Watkins. She previously dropped 22 points in 28 minutes against North Carolina-Greensboro to kick off March Madness.

The Tommy Award adds to a long list of postseason accolades for Watkins. She's won the 2025 Dawn Staley Award -- honoring the nation's best point guard in NCAA Women's basketball. Watkins also claimed the John R. Wooden Award, the AP Player of the Year, the Big Ten Player of the Year and the Naismith College player of the Year.

USC fans can still get the luxury of watching Watkins on the basketball court. Watkins isn't eligible for the WNBA Draft until 2027. The league doesn't grant a one-and-done entry into the draft compared to the NBA. Furthermore, the WNBA prohibits players under 22 to enter the league. Watkins can return next season and the year after.

She's also expanded her celebrity in L.A. Watkins is the only current USC athlete, female or male, to have her own mural in Downtown Los Angeles.

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

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