USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins turned heads with her amazing play this season, and former NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony took notice.
On the latest edition of Anthony's ‘7pm in Brooklyn‘ podcast, Melo compared the way the USC women's basketball star plays to his own game at Syracuse:
“For me it's fun to see that type of game kind of translate into the women's game right, because it looks so good when you're doing it. You know what I mean, like getting to your spots and playing the right way. Using your shot fake, using your jab as opposed to coming down hesi-three every time.
She works on her spots, she knows how to get to her spots. That's very hard to fathom as a young'un, that's hard to do. So not everybody has that as a freshman coming into college, I was fortunate enough to have that skill set coming into college which helped me be able to do what I was able to do.
What excites me is we get to see that for the next couple of years though as opposed to like we're seeing it for six months and then she's off. You know what I mean, they're off to the league, like we get to see what we just saw with Caitlin Clark over the next couple years. JuJu’s records might be crazy in three years bro. ”
Melo isn't the only one who sees the similarity. His former Trail Blazers teammate Damian Lillard saw the same thing in USC women's basketball's loss to UConn:
“Juju like Melo at Syracuse fr… you wana win give her the ball man”
JuJu Watkins powered USC women's basketball
Watkins was even better than advertised in her first year of college basketball, making good on her potential as the number-one ranked recruit out of high school in last year's class. In fact, per Kevin Pelton of ESPN, the USC guard made history, setting the NCAA women's basketball record for most points scored by a freshman player in a single season. With 29 points, Watkins reached 920 for the season, surpassing the record set by Tina Hutchinson back in the 1983-84 season (898).
Even though the sting of falling to UConn was still fresh in JuJu Watkins' mind, the USC women's basketball guard still knew how big of an achievement it was for her to set this record. She's grateful for the opportunity Lindsay Gottlieb and the Trojans program has given her, and she's excited for the greater things that are in store for her.
“It's definitely an honor. I mean, of course, like I said, not really the terms I would like to end on — on my season, I mean. I'm just blessed,” Watkins said. “This program has offered me a lot. I'm so grateful for it. It's just been a great season. The record is great. Just the moments that I've got to spend with this team have meant everything to me. I'm just excited for next year.”
So are USC women's basketball fans.
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