Before she was a Hall of Fame coach, Dawn Staley was that girl. In the early ’90s, she ran the floor at Virginia, winning Naismith Player of the Year awards and leading her squad to two Final Fours. Fast-forward three decades, and now she’s been racking up Coach of the Year honors from the bench. But in the middle of Final Four madness, she pressed pause—for someone who reminded her of her younger self. That someone? JuJu Watkins, the 19-year-old USC phenom and the latest winner of the Naismith Player of the Year.

But the moment of connection between these two icons actually began a few weeks earlier.

On March 14, Watkins was named one of four finalists for the Dawn Staley Award—an honor reserved for guards who reflect Staley’s signature fire: vision, handles, scoring, and heart. Then on April 4, even with her season cut short by a torn ACL, Watkins was named the winner.

It was then that Staley gave her flowers: “She is a transformative player who has elevated our sport at an incredibly early stage in her career,” she said. “Her creativity and athleticism make her a must-watch player.” The tribute came via social media, right after Watkins became the youngest-ever recipient of the award named after Staley herself. “I couldn’t be more honored to have her name etched alongside this award“.

And JuJu? She had to respond, of course, and she kept it simple. She reposted Staley’s message with three gratitude hands and two red hearts. Later, when she officially added the Naismith trophy to her collection, she dropped a single “✌🏾” on her Instagram story. No words. Just a peace sign. She does say a lot with merely emojis. 

But there’s a deeper story between those two that extends beyond accolades. Staley tried to connect with Watkins the moment she went down with her ACL injury in the second round of March Madness. “I sent her a text out the night of the injury, but it went green, so that means I don’t have the right number,” Staley said, laughing. Eventually, she got the right one and sent a follow-up message. Why? Because, as she put it, “JuJu is loved by all of us.”

Staley had recruited Watkins back in high school, and South Carolina was on JuJu’s short list. While Juju did not ultimately choose the Gamecocks, there’s a shared respect there.“JuJu is raising and lifting our game up with how she plays,” Staley said earlier in March. “She’s cornering the market when it comes to NIL deals. She’s a business herself, and to see that not be a part of our NCAA Tournament—something’s missing.”

Honestly, Staley isn’t wrong in highlighting Watkins’ importance in the game. A lot was missing from this year’s bracket once JuJu went down. But it didn’t stop the votes in her favor. The Associated Press gave her Player of the Year, too—Watkins received 29 of the 31 first-place votes from the media panel, joining only Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, and Courtney Paris as the only sophomores to win it. “She makes a lot of things that aren’t easy look easy,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “It’s one thing to say she’s a generational talent, but another to actually do it.”

JuJu was averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists when the injury struck. And when the lights were brightest—six games against AP Top 10 opponents—she raised her numbers even higher, averaging 26.2 points and 7.3 boards. But her impact wasn’t just on the stat sheet. Her presence filled arenas. Before JuJu, the USC games drew just over 1,000 fans. This year? Nearly 6,000 packed the Galen Center nightly. Celebs like Snoop Dogg (rocking a custom JuJu jacket), Kevin Hart, and Michael B. Jordan pulled up to see her play.

“She decided to stay home and cares about her city,” Gottlieb added. “She has the magnetism to attract people. It’s the way she carries herself. She’s confident, but humble and true to her community.”

And even rival coaches like UCLA’s Cori Close—who was named AP Coach of the Year—couldn’t help but show her appreciation: “I know that everybody knows what an amazing basketball player JuJu Watkins is,” Close said. “But I think this is an incredible award because I know her heart of service… her commitment to really stay true to where she came from.”

That kind of quiet power—that’s JuJu. With her “JuJu bun,” her calm energy, her relentless work ethic! She doesn’t scream for the spotlight, she just steps into it. So when the biggest names in basketball are speaking her name, she’s more grateful than she is surprised. “I’m just so honored to be recognized in this fashion,” Watkins said after winning the AP honor. “I want to thank my teammates, my amazing coaches, my family and friends. They made all this possible.”

And now, even sidelined by injury, she’s still leading the conversation.

JuJu Watkins isn’t just following Caitlin Clark—She’s Coming for the Crown

JuJu Watkins didn’t just win the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year award—she snatched it in a season packed with elite names and sky-high expectations. The 19-year-old USC superstar stood tall above the rest, even edging out UConn’s Paige Bueckers, the 2021 Naismith winner and a projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft. She also held off stiff competition from UCLA’s Lauren Betts and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, but it’s her edge over Bueckers that has everyone buzzing. Is this college basketball’s next great rivalry?

Watkins isn’t ducking the spotlight. After accepting the Naismith honor, she said, “This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. So thank you again, and keep fighting.” Confident. Focused. Unshaken. She’s not just here for the awards—she’s here to shape the future of the women’s game.

If her trajectory feels familiar, it’s because we’ve seen something like this before. Caitlin Clark, the back-to-back Naismith winner in 2023 and 2024, changed the game with her deep shooting, highlight passes, and massive fanbase. But Watkins is already ahead of Clark’s scoring pace through two seasons. Averaging 23.9 points per game, she turned USC into a Big Ten wrecking ball, going 17–1 in conference play. Add in her 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, and she’s more than a scorer—she’s a two-way machine.

“She’s a do-it-all talent,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. And that’s not just coach-speak. Watkins also swept Big Ten Player of the Year, unanimous first-team All-American, and Big Ten All-Defensive honors. The only thing that stopped her from a deep March run? A heartbreaking late-season ACL tear. Even then, the spotlight didn’t fade.

Now the question isn’t if she’ll be back, it’s when. And beyond college? Picture Watkins, Clark, and Bueckers all suiting up for Team USA in the 2028 Olympics in L.A. It’s not just a dream—it’s a very real future. So yes, Caitlin Clark set the standard. But JuJu Watkins? She’s not just following that path—she’s blazing her own, with a crown clearly in sight.