Juju Watkins Has a Silent Reaction to Dawn Staley’s Strong Message Before South Carolina’s Final Four Game

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 paused to acknowledge someone who reminded her of her younger self: JuJu Watkins. Staley once labeled her as the “greatest women’s basketball player ever” when Watkins was still in high school. Now, after the 19-year-old USC phenom became the latest winner of the Naismith Player of the Year, she is making that bold claim look less like hype and more like prophecy.

The awards keep coming for Watkins. 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. A few weeks later, on April 4, even with her season cut short by a torn ACL, Watkins was named the winner, adding to her Naismith and AP women’s college basketball Player of the Year accolades. And Staley was quick to give Watkins her flowers.

“JuJu Watkins is more than a gifted athlete; she is a transformative player who has elevated our sport at an incredibly early stage in her career A passionate competitor, her creativity and athleticism make her a must watch player and her basketball IQ and ever-expanding skill set make her a nightmare for opponents every second she is on the court,” Staley said before adding, “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 on her Instagram story 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. Watkins’s silent acknowledgment of Staley’s praise highlights the mutual respect between two people who compete on opposite sides of the court. 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, on March 27. 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.” It is also notable to note here that had things worked out, Watkins would have been playing under Staley.

Staley had recruited Watkins back in high school, and South Carolina was on JuJu’s short list. In fact, last year, Gilbert Arenas brought up what Staley thought of Watkins when she was turning up at Sierra Canyon. Speaking on his Gil’s Arena podcast, Arenas mentioned, “I’m just gonna go from WNBA coach, Hall of Famer, Dawn. Dawn last year said she (JuJu Watkins) is the greatest women’s basketball player ever and she is a high school kid. She got labelled that by Dawn last year.”

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 Player of the Year award saw Watkins receive 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 is the first Trojan player to win the award. But her impact also extends beyond the court.

Watkins leads the female athletes in college basketball in terms of total endorsements over the past year. Watkins reportedly has 20 NIL agreements and recently signed a deal with Fanatics. This marks the first time a female collegiate athlete has secured a deal with Fanatics Collectibles, another landmark achievement for Watkins. But, again, that’s not all.

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She didn’t respond with a “peace sign.” She responded FIGHT ON.

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Her presence has kept filling 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, Michael B. Jordan, and Love & Basketball star Sanaa Lathan pulled up to see her play. “She decided to stay home and cares about her city,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “She has the magnetism to attract people. It’s the way she carries herself. She’s confident, but humble and true to her community.”

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. The USC guard led her team to a 31-4 record and their first Big Ten regular-season title in over 30 years. “She makes a lot of things that aren’t easy look easy. It’s one thing to say she’s a generational talent, but another to actually do it,” Gottlieb added.

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, and 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 after being sidelined by an 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 fan base. 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.