JuJu Watkins Gets Endorsed as Michael Jordan by Fans After Viral Video: “If Reese and Clark Are Magic and Bird…”

It can’t be always about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Although, there are umpteen parallels drawn for Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, the most recent after their induction into the WNBA is that Reese is being compared to the NBA legend Magic Johnson whereas Clark is equated to Larry Bird. However, a third player just made a space for herself when she was compared to ‘His Airness’ Michael Jordan. 

The University of Southern California Trojans star JuJu Watkins was seen practicing with her left hand with the ex-Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy. She was using her submissive hand for dribbling and making exemplary passes.

The video of the same was posted on the social media platform X by the media company Swish Cultures with the caption “Juju Watkins ( @Jujubballin ) all left hand work with Phil Handy finishes and passing off the dribble.” Watkins in the video can be seen playing while wearing a black t-shirt and the Trojans shorts. The video went viral in a few hours and had several comments praising Watkins’ balling skills.

For the unversed, Watkins played for the Trojans as a freshman in the last NCAA season. She scored 27.1 points per game with 7.3 rebounds per match. It would be unbelievable but at one time she was a contender for Caitlin Clark’s National Player of the Year award. Such was Watkins’s game though she had just entered college. Therefore, it was obvious that due to her image and the new video; the fans touted her at the same level as Michael Jordan.

Fans laud Juju Watkins

“If Reese and Clarke are magic and bird this gonna be they Jordan,” one fan commented. The fan was pointing to the fact that Reese and Clark have got enough coverage and are often compared to Johnson and Bird since they have been making a large impact in the league. Similarly, Watkins too has been a leading figure in women’s sports and her impact someday could be compared to that of Jordan.

“This exactly what I thought Kobe daughter would look like when she got older,” another fan commented. Everyone knows that Watkins has a close relationship with Kobe Bryant’s wife Vanessa and if Gianna Bryant had been alive, she would have just been a year or two younger than Watkins. Therefore, seeing her skills, this fan voiced the resemblance to Kobe’s daughter. 

“Work on your weaknesses !!!,” another netizen commented. The user was pointing to the fact that Watkins usually uses her right hand, but this time she was working on her weaknesses which can be a lesson for many.

“she will be better then CC,” another fan commented. While Clark scored 31.6 points per game in her last college basketball season, Watkins scored 27.1 points per game. Therefore, she was quite close to the experienced Clark and a day might come when she gets drafted in the WNBA and outdoes Clark.

“What’s jn her right hand? Looks like a .38 snub nose,” another fan pointed out. Watkins had previously had a sprain in her right-hand finger which had come to notice when she had thrown a strike at the Dodger’s stadium. Hence, the Trojan star deciding to practice even with injury reflects her ‘Mamba Mentality’.

“Love seein Coach Phil do his thing,” another user remarked. While much of the notice was on Watkins, not many had emphasized Handy’s role. Handy was an assistant coach with the Lakers from 2019 to 2024 and was one of the best teachers Watkins could have found in her off-season. 

Though it is a distant future, one day Watkins might be compared with Jordan by her critics when she makes it to the WNBA. Till then, the 18-year-old needs to keep practicing and perform exceptionally well just like the way she has been doing in the NCAA. Meanwhile, Reese and Clark need to keep an eye on Watkins and see how she progresses to the next level.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.