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USC Trojans: JuJu Watkins’ Incredible 2023-24 Season Promises Great Things for Women’s Basketball

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics
By Christian Alamodin | Last updated 4/2/24

Women’s basketball is increasingly gaining attention as stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are breaking boundaries with their level of play. The USC Trojans are keeping this trend alive with the emergence of JuJu Watkins.

The young lady isn’t even old enough to drink but she’s already shaking the foundations of the women’s game with her level of play. She’s only played one season of NCAA basketball, but the kind of season she just enjoyed is telling everyone that she’s already more than ready to play in the pros.

JuJu Watkins’ rookie season with the USC Trojans deserves a deeper look

SportsCenter posted an interesting graphic that shows just how incredible of a season Watkins showcased to the women’s basketball community:

What a freshman year it has been for JuJu Watkins

Led USC in scoring, assists and steals
Led USC to first Elite Eight since 1994
Broke women’s D-I freshmen scoring record
Finished the tourney with 110 points, one point shy of the tying the freshman record pic.twitter.com/Ohf7tVrzcR

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 2, 2024

It’s been an incredible season for the USC Trojans as it’s been quite some time since they made the Elite Eight. What makes it all the more impressive is that a freshman was all it took to bring them back to the latter stages of March Madness.

While she was a highly regarded recruit from Los Angeles, CA, only a few could have expected her to stand out the way she did. She’s averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 40% shooting, 40% from three, and 85% from the charity stripe. With more experience, fans can expect her shooting efficiency and playmaking to increase.

JuJu Watson’s college career is far from over, but she’s already poised to reach the heights Clark reached with the Hawkeyes. It’s not strange to say that she will carry the torch of women’s collegiate basketball for years to come.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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