USC Trojans' JuJu Watkins Named Wooden National Player Of The Year, Dawn Staley Award Winner

USC Trojans superstar guard JuJu Watkins has raked in two more national honors as she’s been named the Wooden Award winner, another national player of the year honor, and the Dawn Staley Award winner as the player who most closely represents the exemplary skills that the current South Carolina coach possessed throughout her accomplished career. Early this week, Watkins was named the Associated Press Player of the Year, Naismith Women's College Player of the Year, and USBWA National Player of the Year.

During the season in which the USC Lady Trojans went 31-4 and 17-1 in the Big 10 en route to a regular season conference championship, Watkins averaged 23.9 points per game, along with six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and nearly two blocks per game.

Watkins suffered a season-ending ACL injury in their second-round game against Mississippi State, which required surgery. The Trojans still advanced to the Elite Eight before succumbing to the UConn Huskies.

USC Trojans G JuJu Watkin — Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins during pregame warmup before an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

“JuJu Watkins is more than a gifted athlete; she is a transformative player who has elevated our sport at an incredibly early stage in her career. A passionate competitor, her creativity and athleticism make her a must watch player and her basketball IQ and ever-expanding skill set make her a nightmare for opponents every second she is on the court. I couldn’t be more honored to have her name etched alongside this award," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said.

Watkins recently talked about her mindset in attacking the offseason despite the debilitating injury so deep into the season. Three games away from winning a national championship, Watkins' entire basketball future changed. Just days after that moment of despair, Watkins found herself being showered with well-deserved accolades and accomplishments, solidifying her name amongst the all-time greats of women’s college basketball history. Still, the whirlwind isn’t easy to process.

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“I’m a firm believer in, ‘everything happens for a reason,'” JuJu Watkins said on ESPN's College GameDay. “I think my first week, I was just in complete shock. It’s the first time I’ve dealt with this type of adversity. So I’m really just getting prepared for what’s to come and ready to just get to work and get to work in rehab so I’m back on the floor with my teammates.”

“It was a real emotional week for me. . . . Seeing my team and all the teams play, it was tough on me. But just to see how they really stepped up – I mean, I wasn’t surprised at all by them stepping up because I know what they’re capable of. . . . But to just see the love they showed me and letting them know I’m there in spirit. It was a great thing to watch and I’m so proud of all of them," Watkins said.

Watkins is known for her competitive edge and high-intensity effort on both ends of the floor. She’ll now have to harness that intensity and focus on her rehabilitation process, gaining her former strength back, and even improving on that foundation she built for herself.

To be already back in the proper mind state just a week after a traumatizing injury shows how mentally tough Watkins is. The next time she takes the court is unknown, but one thing is for certain: Watkins will work as hard as possible to get back better than before.

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