Despite exiting the NCAA Tournament following a loss to the UConn Huskies, Juju Watkins still managed to make history in that game. Among those who have given the USC Trojans’ star her flowers is no other than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
In that game, USC fell out of the NCAA Tournament due to a 80-73 loss against the Huskies. Watkins led all players in scoring when she dropped 29 points to go along with her 10 rebounds and two assists. McKenzie Forbes added 24 points as the Trojans’ season has come to an end.
UConn, on the other hand, had a strong game from Paige Bueckers when the guard tallied 28 points on 47 percent shooting from the field, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Aaliyah Edwards added 24 points to help the Huskies get the win over the USC Trojans.
Even with the loss, Watkins managed to etch herself in college basketball history to become the all-time leading scorer among NCAA Division I freshmen players. She has now surpassed San Diego State’s Tina Hutchinson’s record back during the 1983-84 season.
LeBron James Issues 5-Word Message For Juju Watkins After Historic Game For USC Trojans
After the game, Watkins was on the receiving end of so many messages congratulating her for achieving the said feat. Among those individuals was no other than Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Star LeBron James, as seen in a screenshot of a post the King shared on his social media account:
LeBron James’ message to JuJu Watkins after the USC star breaks the record for most points by a freshman in D-I women’s history: “Congrats and proud of you!” pic.twitter.com/4KMAO6TJ1r
— Kit Guinhawa (@BeatKit22) April 2, 2024
In the 34 games Watkins played this season, the USC star averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per contest. She has tallied a total of 920 points as a freshman for the Trojans, helping her surpass the record Hutchinson set back in the 80s.
Even with USC’s exit from the NCAA Tournament, things are looking bright for Watkins’ future in college basketball, much like how Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark started out. Hopefully, her stint as a Trojan will go far in the future. And if James’ message is any indication, the Trojans guard will solicit more attention from opposing teams and scouts if she continues on this path in the coming years.
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