USC star JuJu Watkins is the AP
Player of the Year and just the fourth sophomore to earn that honor
[April 05, 2025]
By DOUG FEINBERG
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — JuJu Watkins, the sensational sophomore who led
Southern California to its best season in nearly 40 years, was
honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s basketball Player
of the Year.
Watkins, whose Trojans won the Big Ten regular-season title for
their first conference crown in 31 years, received 29 votes from the
31-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each
week. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo got the other two. Both were
first-team AP All-Americans.
“I think what's so significant about this award is that this was a
year that didn't have an absence of talent and stars, and JuJu found
a way to elevate herself and her team,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb
said.
Watkins became just the fourth player to win the award in her
sophomore year, joining Oklahoma's Courtney Paris (2007) and UConn
stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014). The AP started
giving out the award in 1995 and Watkins is the first Trojans player
to win it.
“She makes a lot of things that aren’t easy look easy,” Gottlieb
said. “It's one thing to say she's a generational talent, but
another to actually do it and put yourself up with names like Stewie,
Maya and Courtney Paris.”
Watkins is already in the top 10 on USC's career scoring list,
ranking ninth. She was averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4
assists before her season was cut short in the NCAA Tournament with
an ACL injury suffered in the second round against Mississippi
State.
Watkins accepted the award via Zoom from Los Angeles.
“I'm just so honored to be recognized in this fashion,” she said. “I
want to thank my teammates, my amazing coaches, my family and
friends. They made all this possible. I feel so blessed to be able
to do what I love.”
AP Coach of the Year Cori Close praised Watkins for what she's done
on and off the court.
[to top of second column] |
Southern California guard JuJu Watkins (12) plays against UCLA
during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the
championship of the Big Ten Conference tournament in Indianapolis,
Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
“I've been able to see what she does for
underserved communities and her commitment to really stay true to
serve where she came from,” Close said. “I know that everybody knows
what an amazing basketball player JuJu Watkins is, but I think this
is an incredible award because I know her heart of service and I
want to congratulate her for what she's done.”
Watkins raised her game against the best opponents. In the six games
against teams in AP top 10, she averaged 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds
and 2.4 blocks while shooting 35.4% from behind the 3-point line.
“She performed her best at the biggest moments,” Gottlieb said. “I
thought she really throughout the course of the year learned how to
dominate and empower the others.”
Watkins, with her signature “JuJu bun” hairstyle, is already one of
the top draws in the sport with endorsement deals to match, and
seeing her in person has become a hotter ticket.
The Trojans’ average home attendance rose to 5,932 this season from
last year’s 4,421. Celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, Jason
Sudeikis, Michael B. Jordan and Sanaa Lathan, who starred in “Love &
Basketball,” one of Watkins’ favorite movies, have shown up. The
year before she arrived, attendance averaged 1,037.
“It's hard to miss Snoop Dogg in his custom JuJu jacket,” Gottlieb
said. “This happened organically and authentically. She decided to
stay home and cares about her city and has the magnetism to attract
people. It's the way she carries herself. She's confident, but very
humble and true to her community. It's amazing to see her impact.”
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