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 2024-25 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, 3.4 assists,…
