Stanford’s Standout Performer Kiki Iriafen Bids Adieu to Join JuJu Watkins at USC

It is going to be a cold, cold winter for Stanford this year. Turns out after they bid adieu to their Defensive standout, Cameron Brink and the Hall of Famer coach Tara VanDerveer, they are in for more heartbreaking change. Kiki Iriafen, who made her mark as a stellar scorer in her junior season is also leaving the Cardinals. She has metamorphosed and broke out of her cocoon to become a leading scorer for one of the powerhouse schools in the nation. Would she be able to grab an NCAA trophy alongside JuJu Watkins, though?

Breaking the news to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Katrina McClain Awardee confessed her intentions for the next season. The ESPN reporter posted the transfer on his Instagram account, adding the news. He captioned the post, “Just in: Former Stanford F Kiki Iriafen — the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft — has committed to the USC Trojans, she tells ESPN. Iriafen will return to her LA home to team with JuJu Watkins on a national title contender for Lindsay Gottlieb.”

The Angelino hooper will be back in her hometown and will get along with NCAA’s top freshman of the year 2024, JuJu Watkins. The Trojan phenom was second in the average scoring charts with 27.1 ppg in the 2023-24 NCAA WBB with Caitlin Clark at the top. Hence, Iriafen, who averaged 19.4 points and 11 rebounds, is going to have great support and vice versa for Watkins. Certainly, the University of South California will rise as one of the most exciting teams for the next NCAA tourney.

A breezy summer for South California with Kiki Iriafen

Seems like the Trojans WBB program received Aladdin’s wonderful lamp one day, which is finally fulfilling all their wishes. First, JuJu Watkins, the most impressive and top-rated high school star joins them. Although Watkins brought the Pac-12 conference title home, she could not take the Trojans beyond the Elite Eight. But now her days of being a sole leader are in the past.

Along with an enriching offensive player like Kiki Iriafen, they could go a long way in the Big Dance and maybe even win the championship. Additionally, Lindsay Gottlieb too has extended her stay in California through 2030.

While it will be a new conference that USC will face in the Big Ten, they just might be the best ones in it, especially now that they have the 6-ft-3 forward. Although Iriafen has not put into words the reason behind the transfer, it just might be the fact that VanDerveer has retired. Or maybe she wanted to be closer to home and with a team with a very high chance of winning the next tourney as Iriafen enters her senior year. No matter what the outcome is, it is sure that the duo of Kiki Iriafen and Watkins will wreak havoc on their opponents.