USC women's basketball star Juju Watkins named AP Player of the Year
USC women's basketball star Juju Watkins has been named The Associated Press women's college basketball Player of the Year, the news organization announced Thursday.
Watkins, a sophomore guard at Southern California, recently suffered a season-ending injury after she tore her ACL in the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA March Madness Tournament against Mississippi State University.
The AP said Watkins became the fourth player to win the award as a sophomore. She joins Oklahoma's Courtney Paris, who won it in 2007 and UConn players Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart, who won it in 2009 and 2014. Watkins is the first player from USC to receive the honor.
During the 2024-25 season, she averaged 23.9 points per game, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists, according to the USC athletics website. Her presence at USC has garnered a revival in the university's women's basketball program.
The AP reported the Trojans' average home attendance rose to 5,932 during this year's season in comparison to last year's 4,421. Some of Hollywood's and sports' biggest names were seen courtside during USC's season, including Jason Sudeikis, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Caitlin Clark and Lebron James.
With her help, the Women of Troy have also accomplished back-to-back Elite 8 appearances during March Madness.
Watkins has racked up several accolades this year, including being named Big Ten Player of the Year and 2025 Naismith National Player of the Year, according to USC.
The AP has reported that the LA native is one of the players with some of the top endorsement deals, including Nike, United Airlines, Gatorade and State Farm.
