If there’s one name in the NCAA that has become as important as Caitlin Clark, it’s that of JuJu Watkins. The 19-year-old, in her freshman season for the USC Trojans, gave outstanding performances and shot to national fame by setting numerous program records and breaking the NCAA D1 freshman scoring record. Hence, she has been drawing comparisons to different players for her playing style while being lauded for her exceptional skills. 4x WNBA champion Sue Bird, along with her partner Megan Rapinoe, compared Watkins to the NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain and that had everyone realizing Watkins’s incredible potential.

Bird and Rapinoe made an appearance as hosts at the Sports Beach in Cannes and had invited Watkins to be their guest for a quirky chat show. While introducing Watkins, Bird and Rapinoe drew parallels between Watkins and Chamberlain.

“She’s an All-American National Freshman of the Year, highest-scoring freshman in D1 history, 920 points. She had 14 games in her freshman year with 30-plus points. 51-point game versus Stanford, which is the most points scored by any player in the nation last season. My favorite part of that is she got to hold up that white piece of paper… With the 51 on it… Like anytime somebody has that epic game, Iconic… Like Wilt Chamberlain vibes, what? I never got to do that,” Bird stated in A Touch More.

Chamberlain scored an NBA record 100 points in a game between the Philadelphia Warriors and the New York Knicks in March 1962. Post his spectacular performance, he held out a white paper with 100 written on it, much like how Watkins had also held a 51 written on a white paper. Chamberlain’s picture is regarded as a watershed moment in basketball history as it drew a lot of fans to the game. Bird also lamented that she did not get a chance to click herself a snap when she scored a career-high. Meanwhile, Watkins’s accomplishments do not stop here.

JuJu Watkins received praise from Caitlin Clark

JuJu Watkins scored 32 points in her debut game against Ohio State, surpassing Lisa Leslie’s record for the highest score in a freshman debut for the Trojans. In late November, she had 3 consecutive games with 30 points or more, which tied her with Cheryl Miller for having such a long streak for USC. With a cumulative 920 points in the season, Watkins broke Tina Hutchinson’s record for most points scored by an NCAA D1 freshman. Thus, Watkins proved her mettle and showed everyone that she was no ordinary player.

As stated by her head coach Lindsay Gottlieb as per The Orange County Register, Clark had complimented Watkins and expounded that she would be getting a lot of attention once Clark passes out. And to some extent, that looks to be true.

Perhaps it is such high-profile comparisons that are driving JuJu Watkins to give her best. How she reacts to her praise on the court will be evident when the NCAA 2024-25 season starts.

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.