JuJu Watkins didn’t just break records as a freshman—she shattered them. Scoring an all-time national record for a freshman with 920 points, not to mention leading USC with 14 games, scoring over 30 points, and ranking second nationally. But even the fiercest players have setbacks, and for this young star, that meant a minor index finger injury. But guess what? She turned it into her new weapon. 

She spent the summer working exclusively on playing with her left hand. She laughed about it, saying, “I messed my right hand a little bit… was only able to do left hand for like two months so I’ve been really working on that now.” She has been grinding with Phil Handy, honing that left hand. 

Even videos of her practicing with both hands went viral back in June. Then, if that wasn’t enough, the sophomore took on a whole new challenge: throwing the first pitch at Dodger Stadium. She admitted, “This is probably the most nervous I’ve ever been.” 

Though she initially planned to throw left-handed, she warmed up right-handed and nailed her pitch. No doubt, she is a great in the making. Her freshman season saw her leading USC to its best year in ages, clinching the Pac-12 title before narrowly missing a Final Four berth. 

Now that Caitlin Clark has transitioned to the pros and Paige Bueckers is projected to be WNBA’s No. 1 draft this year, the 19-year-old is set to become the face of women’s basketball in college alongside fellow freshman star Hannah Hidalgo. 

But you know what makes her special? Despite this spotlight, she is not all about fame. “A lot of people get caught up in what’s going to happen…they aren’t paying attention to what needs to happen now,” she shared, underscoring her focus on the present.

With this spirit and new playstyle, as she confirmed practicing with her left hand in a recent interview with NBC Sports, she is all pumped for this season. Along with that, the Trojans have a new star addition. 

Kiki Iriafen: The new X-Factor for USC’s title pursuit

This year, #12 isn’t USC’s only ace in the deck. They welcome Kiki Iriafen, a versatile forward who transferred from Stanford to USC this year. And she proved it all in her debut by dropping 22 points and snagging 13 rebounds against Ole Miss. 

Her ability to drive to the basket and handle crunch-time pressure—she even hit clutch free throws with less than 10 seconds on the clock—makes her the team’s much-needed offensive boost. And let’s not forget USC lacked frontcourt dynamism last season. 

Iriafen’s all-around performance brings exactly that. Both players in the paint can make USC’s gameplay unpredictable. So, it’s safe to say that the Trojans have a real shot at the title. With Watkins back in peak form and Kiki dominating, this just might be USC’s year to shine.