Will JuJu Watkins command the same popularity and respect in college basketball that Caitlin Clark once did? The fact that her arrival in the WNBA scenario brought major positive developments for the league is a testament to what Clark has been for women’s basketball. Yet, Watkins still has a long road to travel that way.
Consider this: JuJu scored 30 points in 4-straight games vs UCLA. With this, she tied for the 3rd-longest streak vs. a single opponent in DI since 1999-00. It’s an impressive feat, yes, but Clark still has a longer streak (10-straight vs. Nebraska, 5-straight vs. Minnesota). However, following her performances against the UCLA, JuJu Watkins has garnered some major support in her claim for National Player of the Year (NPOY).
“Juju Watkins has had a terrific season overall. The two stellar performances against UCLA will go a long way towards winning her national player of the year,” basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo posted on X. Then there is USA Today’s Meghan L. Hall who earlier had Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo as his “NPOY front-runner”, but now JuJu Watkins has taken over.
I had Hannah Hidalgo as my NPOY front-runner, but JuJu Watkins might have just firmly entered the chat.
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) March 2, 2025
Amid all of this, Emmy-nominated Sports Director Matt Dowell stated there are a handful of players in the NPOY conversation, but he feels “JuJu Watkins has separated herself from everyone else with what’s she’s done the past month.”
This is a developing story.
The post Caitlin Clark Still Untouched by Juju Watkins but College Basketball Community Gives Strong NPOY Verdict After USC Star’s UCLA Feat appeared first on EssentiallySports.
