JuJu Watkins elected to stay home in her native Los Angeles and play college basketball at USC. That decision resulted in a record-shattering freshman campaign for the former five-star recruit from the nearby Sierra Canyon School.
Watkins became the leading scorer among freshmen in NCAA Division I women's basketball history, breaking a record that had stood for four decades. The 6-foot-2 guard led the Trojans to the Elite Eight, the school's deepest NCAA tournament run in 30 years.
Watkins also handled business off the court, signing one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women's basketball.
Here's a look at Watkins' career accomplishments and accolades:
College
Freshman
▪︎ 920 points, most in NCAA Division I women's basketball history (surpassed San Diego State's Tina Hutchinson's 898 during the 1983-84 season)
▪︎ 27.1 points per game, second in the nation behind only Caitlin Clark's 31.6
▪︎ 14 games with 30-plus points, USC record (men's or women's)
▪︎ Scored a school-record 51 points at No. 4 Stanford, the most by a player in a single game in the nation in 2023-24
▪︎ USC single-season record 241 free throws made
▪︎ One of only five players in Pac-12 history to record at least 750 points, 150 rebounds and 50 steals in a season
▪︎ Scored 32 points in USC debut, most in program history in her first game as a true freshman
▪︎ Unanimous first-team All-American
▪︎ WBCA Coaches' All-American
▪︎ Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year (first winner in USC history)
▪︎ USBWA National Freshman of the Year
▪︎ WBCA Freshman of the Year
▪︎ All-Pac-12 Team
▪︎ Pac-12 All-Defensive Team
▪︎ Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
▪︎ Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
▪︎ Pac-12 All-Tournament Team
▪︎ Three-time Pac-12 Player of the Week
• 14-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
High school
▪︎ 2023 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year
▪︎ 2023 WBCA High School Player of the Year
▪︎ 2023 USA Today HSSA Girls Basketball Player of the Year
▪︎ 2023 Naismith Prep Player of the Year
▪︎ 2023 McDonald's All American Game co-MVP
▪︎ Two-time California Ms. Basketball
▪︎ 2022 Gatorade California Player of the Year
International
▪︎ Gold medal at FIBA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Hungary
▪︎ FIBA Under-17 Women's World Cup MVP
▪︎ Gold medal at FIBA Under-16 Women's AmeriCup
▪︎ FIBA Under-16 Women's AmeriCup MVP
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