USC Women's Basketball: After Ending JuJu Watkins' Season, Geno Auriemma Encourages Freshman To "Go Pro"

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 2, 2024

Mar 11, 2024; Uncasville, CT, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma is handed the Big East trophy. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The USC Trojans' deepest NCAA Tournament run in 30 years ended with a tearful finish Monday. The Cardinal and Gold fell, 80-73, to Geno Auriemma's University of Connecticut Huskies. The club has now made its 23rd Final Four berth under Auriemma, and will look to snag its 12th national title since he took over head coaching duties in 1986.

Following the matchup, Auriemma relayed in his presser after the contest just how impressed he was by standout Trojans freshman wing JuJu Watkins. Apparently, he let her know as much while offering postgame congratulations to the All-American standout.

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"'Go pro,'" Auriemma said of his advice to Watkins. "I told her, I said, 'It's a great opportunity for you in the WNBA, overseas, 3 on 3 league. I'm sure there's great places for you to play. I love [USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb] but you've got bigger fish to fry.'"

"She was very emotional," Auriemma added, per Kevin Pelton of ESPN. "She was crying, like all competitors. She put her heart and soul into this. I just reminded her, 'You had an amazing year. Your team wouldn't be here without you.'"

Watkins enjoyed a big night in defeat. She scored 29 points, becoming the first-ever college women's basketball freshman to score over 900 in a season (she'll have finished with 920). Yes, that 29 points came on a relatively inefficient 9-of-25 shooting line, but that's how these games can go when you are the focal point of the opposition's defensive efforts. Outside of a few sloppy late turnovers, Watkins played a really solid game overall. The 6'2" Sierra Canyon product also pulled down 10 boards, dished out two dimes, blocked two shots and swiped a steal for good measure.

USC finishes with a 29-6 record on the year. Watkins, still just 18, cannot join the WNBA just yet, despite Auriemma's advice. Playing in other, non-WNBA leagues may be an option, but she'll enjoy the most visibility via her USC platform, and can earn pretty good coin as, presumably, the face of college hoops with so many upperclassmen moving on, possibly including UConn's own Paige Bueckers.