JuJu Watkins, the sensational sophomore who led Southern California to its finest season in practically 40 years, was honored Thursday as The Related Press girls’s faculty basketball Participant of the 12 months.
Watkins, whose Trojans received the Big Ten regular-season title for its first convention crown in 31 years, obtained 29 votes from the 31-member nationwide media panel that votes on the AP High 25 every week. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo obtained the opposite two. Each have been first-team AP All-Individuals.
“I believe what’s so vital about this award is that this was a 12 months that did not have an absence of expertise and stars, and JuJu discovered a solution to elevate herself and her crew,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb mentioned.
Watkins turned simply the fourth participant to win the award in her sophomore 12 months, becoming a member of Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007) and UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014). The AP first began giving out the award in 1995, and Watkins is the primary Trojans participant to win it.
“She makes a number of issues that aren’t simple look simple,” Gottlieb mentioned. “It is one factor to say she’s a generational expertise, however one other to really do it and put your self up with names like Stewie, Maya and Courtney Paris.”
Watkins is already within the prime 10 on USC’s all-time scoring record, rating sixth in simply two years. She was averaging 23.9 factors, 6.8 rebounds and three.4 assists earlier than her season was minimize quick within the NCAA Event with an ACL damage suffered within the second spherical in opposition to Mississippi State.
Watkins raised her recreation in opposition to the perfect opponents. Within the six video games in opposition to groups in AP prime 10, she averaged 26.2 factors, 7.3 rebounds and a pair of.4 blocks whereas taking pictures 35.4% from behind the 3-point line.
“She carried out her finest on the largest moments,” Gottlieb mentioned. “I assumed she actually all through the course of the 12 months discovered dominate and empower the others.”
Watkins is already one of many prime attracts within the sport with endorsement offers to match and seeing her in particular person has turn into a warmer ticket.
The Trojans’ common house attendance rose to five,932 this season from final 12 months’s 4,421. Celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, Jason Sudeikis, Michael B. Jordan and Sanaa Lathan, who starred in “Love & Basketball,” considered one of Watkins’ favourite films, have proven up. The 12 months earlier than she arrived attendance averaged 1,037.
“It is exhausting to overlook Snoop Dogg in his customized JuJu jacket,” Gottlieb mentioned. “This occurred organically and authentically. She determined to remain house and cares about her metropolis and has the magnetism to draw folks. It is the way in which she carries herself. She’s assured, however very humble and true to her neighborhood. It is wonderful to see her impression.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
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