JuJu Watkins to follow Caitlin Clark as WNBA’s next transcendent superstar

USC star JuJu Watkins' unique game and fan following could continue what Caitlin Clark started in the WNBA.

JuJu Watkins to follow Caitlin Clark as WNBA’s next transcendent superstar

JuJu Watkins could continue to transcend the WNBA like Caitlin Clark did

Caitlin Clark had a record-breaking season in the WNBA. Along with that came scores of fans and followers as the league scaled new heights in terms of engagement. Some believe Paige Bueckers will be the next to do the same, whereas some point towards USC star JuJu Watkins.

The sophomore is already hailed as the next big thing in women’s basketball and has scores of fans packing arenas. She also manages to draw the numbers whenever she attends other sporting avenues. That following comes from the fact that she plays the game in a way that has brought a lot of success.

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However, with Bueckers also in the frame as a generational athlete, a discussion started on the podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn. With ESPN’s WNBA analyst Monica McNutt as a guest, the hosts asked who she thought was going to bring the same energy Caitlin Clark brought, to which she replied:

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I got one name: JuJu Watkins. I do think what we saw in the last two years is you need names to pin it to, that have crossover appeal. JuJu is that girl. Caitlin had a fantastic year, exceeded expectations. I think JuJu has the potential to do the same when she gets to the pros. She’s so cold.

Monica McNutt on 7PM in Brooklyn

The analyst did suggest that JuJu Watkins will likely do what Caitlin Clark did. That is to bring the college fan following to the WNBA. Add her elite basketball skills to the mix and the USC star has everything up her sleeves to be transcendent for the league.

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JuJu Watkins and USC lose first game of season

In her freshman season, JuJu Watkins was in the conversation as one of the best basketball players in college. Going into her second year, she was expected to develop further. In their first four games, she displayed that as her game guided her USC Trojans to a 4-0 record.

In one of those games, the team managed to obliterate their opponents in an 85-point win. Many wondered if the 19-year-old would lead her team into demolishing everyone on their way to an NCAA Championship. However, that answer came in their fifth game of the season.

Facing the No. 6 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Watkins and her teammates struggled throughout the game. The superstar did end up scoring 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. But it came off 25 attempts from the field.

That was because 2025 WNBA entree Sonia Citron and her Notre Dame teammates put on a defensive clinic. The senior guard blocked Watkins once and stifled her midrange game throughout. That led to Notre Dame getting further possessions as they took the lead and kept it to finish the game 74-61.

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This was the first loss for the USC team who earlier looked unbeatable. But it also showed them that the team have work to do if they are to be serious championship contenders. Their game against Paige Bueckers‘ UConn on December 21st will give an idea if they have improved.