Caitlin Clark’s exit from the women’s college basketball scene has left her throne in play. JuJu Watkins, a national freshman in the 2023-2024 season, is considered a candidate, as she has surpassed some of the statistics of the Iowa Hawkeyes star’s rookie season. One that comes to mind is Watkins’ 920-point season, which saw her surpass Clark’s freshman record (799) in 2020-21. While the basketball public may believe her and even ask her about it, the Pac-12 championship winner is primarily interested in her performance and the competition.
In an interview with Paul George on “Podcast P,” Juju Watkins said: “Wow. It’s a big headline. I wouldn’t be considered the person I am without my competitors. Composition is everything. The conferences, the big teams. That’s really what matters. The character you play is also a factor in your greatness. So I wouldn’t say I do it alone. There are great teams and so many great players and I’m happy to be able to play against them. A key factor in becoming an impact player is the ability to lead your team to multiple wins, and that’s what Watkins did in her first year with multiple single-season records.
Watkins holds the USC record for scoring more than 30 points in 14 games, surpassing Caitlin Clark’s national record (12) for a freshman over 25 seasons. Against Cameron Brink’s Stanford, Watkins, with 51 points, broke USC’s Cherie Nelson’s 35-year-old record of 50 points against California. Earlier, against Colorado at the Galen Center, Watkins recorded the most points (42) ever scored by a USC player. She finished the season with nine double-doubles and was named a member of the Pac-12 All-Tournament team.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The teenager joined an elite list including Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson, Pam McGee, Cheryl Miller and Paula McGee to become the 6th USC player to earn first-team AP All-American honors. Watkins’ efforts helped USC make its first consecutive NCAA appearance since 2006. Additionally, she became one of 5 players to score at least 750 points, 150 rebounds and 50 steals in a single season .
When USC senior Lindsay Gottlieb talked about the team’s current situation, she was proud to have Watkins on the team. “…It was a team effort, but its gravitas and its magnetism, I think, cannot be underestimated. It’s a crowd of JuJu, and it’s very, very exciting, incredible what’s happening before our eyes…” JuJu Watkins is Southern Cal’s second-leading rebounder with 7.3 per game and second in shot blocks with 1.6 per game. She also averaged a team-high 2.3 steals and 3.3 assists per game.
|
Statistical comparison of rookie seasons |
||
| Statistical |
Caitlin Clark (2020-21) |
JuJu Watkins (2023-24) |
| Games | 30 | 34 |
| SPT | 26.6 | 27.1 |
| CER | 5.9 | 7.3 |
| AST | 7.1 | 3.3 |
| STL | 1.3 | 2.3 |
| BLACK | 0.5 | 1.6 |
| FG% | 47.2 | 40.1 |
| 3P% | 40.6 | 31.9 |
| FT% | 85.8 | 85.2 |
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The 6’2″ player set a USC single-season record with 241 free throws. When Watkins entered the NCAA tournament, she was the only player in the country to rank in the Top 75 in multiple steals and blocks per game. With so many records early in her career, she will attract a lot of attention in the future, not to mention the comparison to Caitlin Clark. What does Clark have to say about this new face?
Caitlin Clark will pay to watch JuJu Watkins
Clark’s impact as a freshman was immediate. She didn’t just follow normal tradition; through her excellence, she became a player who led the NCAA in scoring and ranked second in assist production. Clark set a new mark as Iowa’s most highly touted women’s and men’s players. Her goal-scoring attitude even prompted a tweet from Nigerian basketball star Kenneth Durant, saying that she “corresponds to the league.“She possessed both an exceptional scoring and playing style that is indescribable by 17 career triple-doubles.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
At the end of his senior year of college, the Iowa Hawkeyes star not only broke the NCAA record book by scoring 3,685 points, but he also shattered Pete Maravich’s legendary score (3 667) out of the water by hitting a basket that made her the star. -best moment when they played against Ohio State. Besides his gift for scoring and passing, his ability to read plays was second to none. And teen sensation JuJu Watkins is quickly catching up on the record books. She’s already the second-highest scorer this season after Clark and could draw eyes to NCAA competition next season.
Usually, people pay a lot of money to watch Caitlin Clark, but the Iowa star, who certainly knows Watkins’ skillset, had this to say in an interview: “I would probably say JuJu right now. He’s the one I would pay and go see…” Watkins is tirelessly dynamic as a sharpshooter, athletic as a mid-range gymnast, and constantly improving her skills.
