USC Women's Basketball: Lindsay Gottlieb Pens Heartfelt Newsletter

Can the Women of Troy step up this season?

Third-year USC Trojans women's basketball head coach Lindsay Gottlieb penned a new installment of her monthly newsletter this month, providing some intriguing life updates and forecasting the 2023-24 NCAA season ahead for her program.

Perhaps most excitingly for the Cardinal and Gold, the Women of Troy will be adding the top women's basketball prospect from the high school class of 2023: local product Juju Watkins, a combo guard alum of Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth. Another incoming USC hooper with high expectations, men's star Bronny James, has been a classmate at both levels.

Watkins has already won a host of accolades t the prep school level. The six-footer averaged 25 points, 10.6 boards and 3.2 assists for her club en route to being named the California Gatorade Player of the Year and Ms. Basketball for 2023, as well as the Naismith Prep Player of the Year.

Gottlieb is primed to be the perfect coach to help elevate Watkins' game in college.

"I want to first thank you for your support over what was a remarkable and memorable season. With our first NCAA Tourney bid since 2014 (first at-large since 2006!), a Top 25 ranking, a home win over #2 ranked Stanford, 3 All-Conference selections and 2 WNBA draft picks… the momentum surrounding our team is palpable," Gottlieb wrote, noting how she has already helped elevate the program in her first two seasons on the job.

She had previously served as the head coach at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley, and was an assistant coach under Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff from 2019-21. Overall, Gottlieb boasts a 268-154 head coaching record.

"Our newcomers that you will love watching in Galen are true freshmen Juju Watkins and Malia Samuels and grad transfers Kayla Padilla, McKenzie Forbes and Kaitlyn Davis," Gottlieb went on to note.

"We are already getting after it in summer workouts, and will be releasing an exciting ’23-’24 schedule soon," Gottlieb added. "The Women of Troy are raising the level of excitement and excellence, and we want you to continue to be a part of it."

The Women of Troy went 21-10 last season (11-7 in the Pac-12) and fell in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.