In the early moments of the 2024-25 NCAA season, JuJu Watkins made history by breaking one of Caitlin Clark’s records. However, in her season opener against Ole Miss, Watkins struggled with turnovers— a flaw she shares with one of college basketball’s most celebrated former players, Caitlin Clark.

As a point guard, Clark had amassed the third-highest number of assists in NCAA history by the time she graduated, with 1,144 assists. However, as a result of her high-volume passing, Clark also racked up a hefty 639 turnovers over her career. It’s a double-edged sword that many elite players, like the Indiana Fever star and now Watkins, face. In the USC-Ole Miss matchup, Watkins herself was responsible for 9 of the Trojans’ 26 turnovers, a number that contributed to the difficulty of the win.

Reflecting on the game, in a post-game press conference after a recent game against Saint Clara, Watkins acknowledged her mistakes and vowed to improve. “Yeah, I think credit to Ole Miss, you know, to start a season off with them and then have the, you know, the first game back. It took me a minute to adjust in that game. And I think we saw that through the turnovers, ” Watkins said, pointing to her turnovers as a sign of early-season rust.

Watkins, often compared to Caitlin Clark, recently surpassed the reigning WNBA ROTY by reaching 1,000 career points quicker than her predecessor. JuJu achieved this milestone in just 38 games, while Clark only had 978 points in her first 38 games. However, the two players share more than just scoring prowess—they both have had their struggles with turnovers.

In her first season, Clark recorded 145 turnovers, and Watkins wasn’t far behind with 140. This season, she’s focused on reducing that number. As for Watkins’ turnover issues, she had a whopping 9 TOs against Ole Miss. Although the number has severely reduced with just 2 in the game against Santa Clara and 3 against Cal Poly, it surely is an aspect that the young guard would want to work on.

“I would say this past summer has been about working on aspects of my game, reading the floor better. I think that’s really helped me kind of limit that. As you see, as the season progresses, I will continue to kind of evolve in that aspect,” in the post-game presser.

Watkins’ willingness to address her turnover issues head-on shows a maturity and commitment to self-improvement that mirrors Clark’s evolution. Despite sharing a penchant for turnovers, Watkins has proven to be just as potent on the offensive end. She currently averages 21.5 points per game, ranking tied for 25th in the nation, and is also contributing 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

JuJu Watkins: Turning turnovers into triumphs on the path to WNBA stardom

Last season, Watkins had a total of 140 turnovers, a hefty number for any player, but one that doesn’t overshadow her growth. Her ability to make adjustments has been evident in her strong scoring numbers and improved court vision and her acknowledgment of her flaws only sets the stage for continued progress. As she improves her decision-making, Watkins’ ability to reduce turnovers while maintaining her aggressive playing style will be key to her team’s success this season.

Despite the early struggles, the Trojans are well-positioned with Watkins leading the charge. As her season progresses, she will continue refining her game, minimizing turnovers, and bolstering her playmaking.

This willingness to evolve not only sets her apart as one of the top players in college basketball but also solidifies her potential for a future in the WNBA. If Watkins can correct the mistakes that many of her peers face—turnovers included—she may very well end up being a future WNBA phenom.

With her leadership, work ethic, and drive for self-improvement, Watkins is poised to overcome the challenges that come with her incredible talent, and perhaps even carve out a legacy of her own, just as Caitlin Clark did.