USC’s JuJu Watkins Has Already Surpassed an All-Time Great Just Six Games Into Her Career

USC's JuJu Watkins has already broken a school record set by Lisa Leslie.

The USC women’s basketball team is having one of its best seasons ever, and it’s primarily thanks to a star freshman. 

The Trojans are off to a 6–0 start and are ranked No. 6 in the latest AP poll. That’s their highest ranking since 1994. Their most recent win came on Tuesday night when they shellacked Cal Poly, 85–44, behind a history-making 30 points from JuJu Watkins.

USC guard JuJu Watkins drives to the basket against Cal Poly guard Ania McNicholas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Los Angeles :: Ryan Sun/AP

It was the fourth 30-point game this season for Watkins, who’s only six games into her college career. That broke the USC record for 30-point games in a season by a freshman previously held by Paula McGee and Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie. 

Watkins started her college career with a bang, scoring 32 points in an upset victory over No. 7 Ohio State in the season opener. She followed that up with 18 points against FGCU and 35 against Le Moyne. She was held to 15 points in a low-scoring win over Seton Hall before erupting for 31 in her next game as the Trojans handed Penn State its first loss of the season. Watkins is averaging 26.8 points per game on the season, second in the nation behind Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark. 

Watkins, an L.A. native and the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, was the No. 1 recruit in her class and chose USC over South Carolina and Stanford, among others. She went to the same high school (Sierra Canyon) as fellow USC freshman Bronny James. She was also Sports Illustrated’s SportsKid of the Year in 2020.