JuJu Watkins Crowned Best College Athlete at 2025 ESPYS
USC women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins has added another prestigious accolade to her burgeoning career,being named the Best College Athlete at the 2025 ESPYS. This marks a important achievement for the Trojans’ guard, who previously earned the ESPYS award for Best Breakthrough Athlete following a record-breaking freshman season.
Watkins’ sophomore campaign with USC was nothing short of breathtaking, culminating in this latest honor. she was also recognized as the 2024-25 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year. Despite a season-ending injury during the NCAA Second Round, her individual accolades continued to pour in. watkins secured the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award, underscoring her dominance on the court. Further cementing her status, she was named the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year by the USBWA and was a finalist for both the Wade Trophy and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Her exceptional performance throughout the season also earned her National Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press, The Athletic, and Sporting News. Additionally, she was selected as an All-America pick by the WBCA Coaches. Watkins consistently delivered in high-stakes games, notably shining in the seven matchups against AP top-10 opponents. Her 20th career 30-point game was instrumental in USC’s 80-67 victory over rival No. 2 UCLA, clinching the Big Ten regular-season championship. Against top-10 teams, Watkins averaged an impressive 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks,while shooting 35.4 percent from beyond the arc. These figures surpassed her overall sophomore season averages of 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game.
In a remarkable display of all-around skill, Watkins became the first basketball player across Division I collegiate, WNBA, and NBA levels as 2000 to achieve a stat line of 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks, and five assists in a single game. This historic performance came during the Women of Troy’s victory over than-No. 1 UCLA at Galen Center.
Within the USC record books, Watkins has already etched her name in multiple categories. She ranks ninth all-time in career scoring with 1,709 points, having become the fastest Trojan to reach 1,000 career points. She also holds the second-most 30-point games by a Trojan. Following her two 30-point performances against USC rival UCLA, Watkins now boasts 21 career 30-point games, just four shy of Cheryl Miller’s program record of 25.
Further recognizing her all-around game and competitive spirit, Watkins was a Sullivan Award semifinalist and claimed the Dawn Staley Award. This award celebrates players who embody Staley’s career attributes: exceptional ball-handling, scoring prowess, effective distribution, and an unwavering will to win. For the second consecutive season, she was also honored as the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year.
The 2024-25 season also saw Watkins earn AP preseason All-america status and receive numerous accolades from the USBWA, including the Drysdale award.
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