USC Women's Basketball: Stephen A. Smith Explains Why JuJu Watkins Belongs Beside Caitlin Clark

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 8, 2024

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives to the basket. / Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA

Neither Caitlin Clark nor JuJu Watkins' 2023-24 seasons ended the way either player wanted them to. Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes fell short in the NCAA championship game for the second straight season Sunday afternoon, this time losing to Dawn Staley's undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks 87-75 (they were beaten by the LSU Tigers last season in the championship match). Watkins' USC Trojans lost 80-73 to Paige Buecker's Connecticut Huskies.

Still, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN believes that both players have plenty of other things in common as two of the best college basketball has to offer (Clark is now going pro, and is expected to be drafted by the Indiana Fever next Monday with the first overall pick):

.@stephenasmith is expecting a BIG night from JuJu Watkins vs. UConn ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/REMajOUgLs

— First Take (@FirstTake) April 1, 2024

"JuJu Watkins, this girl, a freshman averaging 27 and seven in the tournament, a freshman dropped 30 against Baylor the other night. A freshman! Did you see the skills on this sister?" Smith asked, prior to the UConn-USC matchup. "Because guess what? She's forced us to put her name in the spotlight with LSU, with South Carolina, with Caitlin Clark in Iowa. This girl has said nothing other than speaking with her game, and what she's said with her game is, 'Hello, what about me?'"

The 6'2" Sierra Canyon product would go on to finish her March Madness run averaging 27.5 points on 37% field goal shooting and 89.2% free throw shooting, eight rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals a night. She was named an Associated Press All-American and a 2023-24 All-Pac-12 honoree for her efforts this season, among many other accolades.

Watkins seems primed to take over from Clark, Cameron Brink and Angel Reese as perhaps the biggest name in women's college hoops next season, along with Bueckers.