This year’s freshman class has surprised many by how quickly they have adjusted to the collegiate game, with record-breaking, dominant performances from the first bounce of the ball three weeks ago. Five athletes, in particular, have not only shone brightly, but they have lead their team to strong season starts. We take a look:

JuJu Watkins. USC Athletics photo.

JuJu Watkins, USC

Juju Watkins came in the college basketball season as the No.1 player in the 2023 class, and so far, she has lived up to that standard. As a senior at Sierra Canyon High School, the guard averaged 27.3 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, leading her team to the CIF Southern Section Open Division title. She did a little of everything at the high school level.

To start the season with the Trojans, who were unranked at the time, Watkins burst onto the scene with a 32-point game against then-No. 7 Ohio State, which USC won 84-74. A week later she scored 35 points against Le Monye. So far she is averaging 26.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and three assists per contest. Watkins is playing efficiently, shooting 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point land.

Though a newcomer, Watkins is the Trojans’ go-to player and No.1 scorer. She is multi-skilled and can score from anywhere on the…