When the college basketball season started this year, JuJu Watkins was called a contender for NPOY. And as the USC Trojans stepped on their fourth regular season game of the campaign, Watkins already had a record in sight. And while the 19-year-old did accomplish something spectacular in this game, it had all the Caitlin Clark fans on the edge.

Watkins hit a jumper with 6:47 remaining in the third quarter to inch to her 1000th career point on Friday against the Santa Clara Broncos. Having been positioned at 984 career points, her 16th point with a 2-point jumper tonight helped her reach the landmark. The California-born thus reached the milestone in only 38 games, 2 fewer than what it had taken Clark.

According to the NCAA record books, only 3 people are ahead of Watkins- LSU’s Maree Jackson (1976-78), Oregon State’s Carol Menken (1979-81), and New Orleans’ Sandra Hodge (1981-84) who accomplished the milestone in 37 games. Meanwhile, Watkins has tied with Weber State’s Kathy Miller and Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne who also did the same in 38 games.

Finishing the game with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals as the leading scorer for the night, Watkins helped the Trojan to an 81-50 win. This was her second 20-point game this season and with it, a 4-0 record for the program. But as the 19-year-old secured the highlight moment of the night, a similar one Caitlin Clark had lived a little over 2 years ago, the comparisons and defense from the fans couldn’t be helped.

Caitlin Clark fans take on JuJu Watkins’ achievements

While it will be a title both Clark and Watkins will have been a part of, they are their own players and one wanted to remind everyone of it. “How a many shot attempts?😂 I like JuJu but she’s no treat to CC’s legacy. Let Juju be Juju stop comparing her to CC they are 2 completely different players. I hope she breaks the scoring record for the sanity of some ya’ll but it’s crazy no one cared about it until last year🤷‍♂️,” one commented.

While Watkins scored 327-812 field goals, amounting to 40.3%, Clark had scored 1293 out of 2798, which comes to approx 46.2% field goals in the NCAA. They stand much similar with their 3-point averages too, with 30.9% and 34.4 respectively. But to set the WNBA star apart, it wasn’t all about scoring for one.

“Caitlin has assist also, big difference when you share the ball and do that, just saying,” another fan commented. The Iowa-alum finished as the third-highest assist make of all-time in NCAA women’s basketball with 1,144. Hence, the fan tried to point out that Clark would often alternate between the alpha and a playmaker’s role.

But Watkins’ surge also comes as a threat to Clark’s all-time scoring, considering she already holds the freshman record for most points (920) — 200 more than CC. So one chimed in with, “She’s going to BREAK that scoring record realll soon.”

However, there is a point that makes Clark standout despite and the fans are not letting it pass.

“She could [become all-time leading scorer] but she’s also going to take ALOT more shots doing it. She outscored Caitlin’s freshman record by 200pts but took over 200 more shots to get there. She’s a shot chucker with no 3 ball in her bag,” one remarked. While CC in her freshman year had hit 40.6% threes, Watkins could only score 31.9% from the arc whereas in this season she has hit just 15.4% threes. As for the attempts made, it took 564 and 763, respectively. Clark exited with all-time highest three-pointers (548).

However, the 19-year-old also has many thrilled about the showcase she is going to put up. It isn’t just about individual milestones for her, the championship remains her main focus and it is bound to bring in some exciting moments. “HOLY COW!!! I haven’t caught many of her games, but will definitely make more of an effort to tune in,” one exclaimed.

But whatever the fans have got to say, Watkins and Clark aren’t here for it. “Ah nah, don’t do that. Don’t do that. Much respect there,” Watkins had countered when reporters tried to bring in Clark after her 51-point performance and the Indiana Fever star has assured she is here for the rising name. “Reach out, call me, and let me know how I can help,” Clark had said. Growth in women’s sports at the end of the day.