“Juju like Melo at Syracuse fr… you wana win, give her the ball man.” Previously, Damian Lillard posted on X, speaking about JuJu Watkins’ ability in comparison with Carmelo Anthony’s time at Syracuse. Even Melo had agreed and hyped the USC star’s ability during the last season of the NCAA. However, recently, the 19-year-old answered a question when compared to the Knicks legend. Even though she was humble while answering, it still made waves.

Last week, the Trojans’ star said she would pick the 10x All-Star for a 1v1 contest. “Probably Carmelo [Anthony], but just to see his bag, ’cause I know it’s crazy.” The host of the podcast, five-star high school point guard Jezelle “GG” Banks, wasn’t so sure. “Naa, she staying humble; he probably like washed.” Yes, Banks claimed Carmelo Anthony was washed. During his podcast, the Syracuse legend answered the question.

“That’s Juju, what you mean what you expect? She got the Melo bag over there. I ain’t about to answer that.” Although he never answered the question directly, the Knicks legend gave hints about the potential winner. Spoiler alert: It’s him. His co-host, Rudy Gay, tried to ruffle some feathers by suggesting Watkins might have some advantage. But Carmelo Anthony said, “We could do no dribbles, we could do one dribble, we can do two dribbles. it doesn’t matter (who gets the ball first) what are we talking about.”

However, it contained some praise for the 19-year-old. “You know I fu– with Juju answer there. I fu– with her was trying to tell lil shorty uh you going to too far.” So, Melo is a fan of Watkins, but based on the reaction, is not a fan of Banks. The Knicks legend even said in his podcast, “Bro, I have never lost 1v1 ever.”

Carmelo Anthony hyped the star guard as the next Michael Jordan

Earlier this season, just four games into her sophomore year, Watkins broke Clark’s record. She became the fastest Power Five player in college basketball history to reach 1,000 career points. Watkins did so in just 38 games, surpassing Caitlin Clark’s 40-game mark. The 19-year-old continues to enamor people with her performance.

But previous comments from Carmelo Anthony would have given her more confidence. “She’s a Michael Jordan coming,” Carmelo Anthony showered praise on the young star. “Shout out to JuJu, man. JuJu is an incredible player.” Even the future of Watkins’ talent has the Knicks legend all excited. “What excites me is we get to see that for the next couple of years.”

The USC star guard is already projected as the No. 1 pick for the WNBA draft in 2027. With a number of records already under her belt, the future looks bright for JuJu Watkins. That is why Carmelo Anthony has continued to hype the 19-year-old.