The date was November 6, 2023, and the USC Lady Trojans took the field at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as then-freshman phenom JuJu Watkins was about to make her college debut.
But Watkins looked more like a seasoned veteran as the Trojans beat Ohio State 83-74, scoring 32 points on 11-for-18 shooting (10-for-16 from two-point range) to go along with six rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.
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Watkins is well beyond the top freshman class in the nation. Whenever someone asked a question, coach Lindsay Gottlieb would remind everyone how special Watkins was at that time, that he was college ready and had a top-tier IQ.
Two years later, her basketball IQ was heightened after she injured her knee in the NCAA tournament in March and missed her junior year.
Not only has Watkins become an extension of Gottlieb by coaching this year’s freshman phenom Jaz Davidson, but she’s also been invited to participate in the first training camp for the USA Basketball senior team, which also allows her to learn from coach Kara Lawson and her three assistants – WNBA coaches Nate Tibbetts, Natalie Nakase and Stephanie White.
“It feels great to be here and I’m surrounded by a lot of great basketball players, a lot of great players and great people,” Watkins said during a media availability Friday. “It’s always been a dream of mine to be in this atmosphere. So to achieve those dreams, even though it looks a little different, I’m still blessed to be here and happy.”
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Watkins, who was named the Associated Press Player of the Year as a freshman, said that while it’s only the first day of training camp, she’s excited to soak up everything she can when she returns to Los Angeles.
“I think there’s a lot to learn,” said Watkins, who averaged 25.5 points during his career at USC. “I think just from an observation standpoint, the attention to detail, the leadership, the communication, it’s unparalleled and definitely something that I can do better and continue to grow from.”
Lawson said that while Watkins is still recovering from her knee, it is imperative to have someone of her ability – someone who will be one of the faces of the national team – available for all activities.
“We want her here…I think you can see there’s a lot of talent there and obviously, they’re going to be people talking about in the future,” Lawson said. “We were really intentional about inviting her here and getting her involved. I think it’s been really valuable to have her observe and be a part of the team and just build connections.
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“Juju is another person that I haven’t spent time with, right? So, for me, from a familiarity standpoint, it was good to talk to her today and talk about this. My plan is to talk to her every day because I can’t be on the court with her.”
Lawson wouldn’t reveal what the two talked about — “It’s between us,” she said — but she did say it was more about Watkins growing up while being inspired and motivated by the atmosphere that includes the present and future of basketball in the United States.
The camp includes 2024 Olympic gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, as well as Dearica Hamby, who won a 3×3 bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Additionally, there are some of the youngest and brightest names in women’s basketball, including Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Sonya Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Ricky Jackson, Angel Reese and Kaitlyn Clark.
“You go into this environment, man, and you have a physical reaction,” Lawson said. “If you’re someone who loves the game, like she loves it, you want to play. But when you see the level some of these players have reached, you’re inspired and you want to get to that level and you want to play here.
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“So, yeah, I’m hoping that through exposure to some of the top players in the world and maybe through some osmosis, she’ll learn some really good lessons from those veterans and have the opportunity to talk to them and eat with them. Look at what they do before practice. Look at what they do after practice. Look at what they do for recovery, and all of those are things you want a talented young player to be able to put into their arsenal.”
For Watkins, she’s ready to beef up her weaponry
“Hearing everyone’s voice, the communication, the leadership, I mean, it’s just something you can see and it automatically raises your standards,” Watkins said. “So I’m definitely taking some of those lessons back to SC to continue to grow as a leader and as a player.”
