USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins was named the AP Athlete of The Year, and she had the perfect reaction over the new award.
Over at Instagram, JuJu Watkins shared the post celebrating her recognition as the AP Player of The Year. With this, she became the fourth sophomore to earn that honor in the history of the NCAA.
Watkins shared the post about her on her Instagram story, captioning it with a peace sign emoji.
In a statement, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb highlighted the significance of JuJu winning this award.
“I think what’s so significant about this award is that this was a year that didn’t have an absence of talent and stars, and JuJu found a way to elevate herself and her team,” Gottlieb said.
Watkins has become the fourth sophomore to receive the award since its inception in 1995. She joins an elite group, including Courtney Paris, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart, who were also sophomores when they received this recognition. Watkins is also the first Trojan to receive the honor.
“She makes a lot of things that aren’t easy look easy,” Gottlieb added. “It’s one thing to say she’s a generational talent, but another to actually do it and put yourself up with names like Stewie, Maya and Courtney Paris.”
USC Head Coach Gives JuJu Watkins Injury Update
One of the most pressing questions following the sudden ACL injury of JuJu Watkins was her return date. An ACL injury, aside from being a season-ending case, could also take a lot of time to recover, as it involves going to surgery and retraining the body once more. For USC head coach Linsday Gottlieb, the question right now is focused on her recovery progress.
“We don’t know what JuJu will do. Will she take the whole year and redshirt? Will she try to come back at some point?” Gottlieb said. “Those aren’t conversations for right now, but I do think we will dive into how do we stay an elite team regardless of the circumstances.”
“We will have time to figure out how to be great, even if JuJu isn’t out there,” Gottlieb added.
Recovery from an ACL injury for basketball players typically takes 6 to 12 months before they can return to play. The timeline depends on factors such as the severity of the injury, the type of treatment (surgical or non-surgical), and the player’s dedication to rehabilitation.
JuJu Watkins, despite abruptly ending her season due to injury, had an outstanding 2024-2025 season with the USC Trojans. She has averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Her shooting efficiency includes a 42.6% field goal percentage, 32.5% from three-point range, and 82.0% from the free-throw line.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
