On the heels of suffering a season-ending right knee injury, USC superstar JuJu Watkins received positive news Wednesday after the sophomore was announced as the 2025 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year.
Watkins, who tore her ACL during the NCAA Tournament last Monday, earned the award over UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo following an exceptional second season. The honor gives the 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year another accolade in a year where she was again named a unanimous first-team All-American while earning first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive team nods.
“Wow, I’m at a loss for words right now,” Watkins said during a prerecorded acceptance speech. “What an incredible honor. I want to sincerely thank Naismith for this amazing recognition. This is truly special, and I feel so blessed to be selected among some of the best in the game. … This is just the beginning and I can’t wait for what’s ahead. So, thank you so much again and fight on.”
Armed with an explosive “do-it-all” skill set in a 6-foot-2 frame, Watkins — the 2024 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year — imposed her will on her way to ranking fourth in the nation with 23.9 points per game to go with 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 33.8 minutes a night across 33 starts (43%/33%/82% splits).
The Trojans posted a 31-4 record, with a 17-1 mark in the Big Ten play, en route to becoming regular-season champions for the first time in 31 years. Despite falling to the Betts-led Bruins in the Big Ten tournament championship, Watkins and USC entered March Madness as a No. 1 seed for a second straight year.
After defeating UNC Greensboro, the Trojans beat Mississippi State 96-59 in the second round but lost Watkins halfway through the first quarter. A gutsy Sweet 16 win over Kansas State set the Watkins-less Trojans up for an Eight Eight showdown with No. 2 UConn, where they fell 78-64 in a previously-billed “dream matchup” that notably lacked the dynamic guard’s presence and likely left many fans wondering “What If?”
“This is truly special. I feel so blessed to be selected amongst some of the best in the game.”
Hear from our 2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year, JuJu Watkins, as she reflects on winning the prestigious honor 🏆@jerseymikes |… pic.twitter.com/BAbbgDhkgG
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) April 2, 2025
While Watkins’s injury dealt a devastating blow to the game of basketball, her continued success and ongoing road to recovery give the 19-year-old, her team and her legions of fans and supporters plenty of hope for the future.
In addition to Watkins, Naismith also announced Betts as Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year and UCLA coach Cori Close as Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
USC Trojans, Women's College Basketball
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