USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins has another trophy to add to her growing collection after winning the 2024-25 John R. Wooden Award, which is given to the most outstanding player in college basketball.
Watkins has officially swept the Player of the Year honors, claiming both the Associated Press and Naismith College Player of the Year awards as well.
Watkins expressed in an interview with ESPN why she believes she was chosen for this year's honor.
“I think this season was a real growth year for me. I was able to learn so much,” Watkins said. “Playing with Kiki Iriafen and so many great players around me, it forced me to just level up and be a better player and teammate.”
Watkins also alluded to the fact that out of all the awards she's already won in her young college career, receiving the Wooden Award was special for her.
“(The trophies) go to mom's house, however, this one will have to stay at mine. This is a big one for me, so I'm ecstatic,” Watkins explained with a smile.
Article Continues BelowWatkins earned 332 points in the award voting, topping finalists who had some of the NCAA's best performances this season, like UConn's Paige Bueckers, Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, UCLA's Lauren Betts, and Texas' Madison Booker.
The 19-year-old averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks over 33 games this campaign while shooting 42.6% from the field and 32.5% from 3-point range. She finished fourth in scoring in the nation this season with 789, outpacing all of the other Wooden Award finalists.
Watkins helped lead the Trojans to a 28-3 regular-season record and championship, securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the program's Big Dance dreams were cut short when a torn ACL ended Watkins' campaign in the Round of 32. USC was able to win two games without Watkins before falling to UConn in the Elite Eight.
The standout sophomore joins legend Maya Moore and Bueckers as the only underclassmen to ever win the women's Wooden Award since its inception in 2003-04.
JuJu Watkins will officially receive her award at the John R. Wooden Awards Show on April 11.