USC women's basketball's JuJu Watkins gives special gift to fan who beat cancer
02/18/2025 02:55 PM
JuJu Watkins’s stardom continues to grow with USC women’s basketball. Following Sunday’s 69-64 win against the Washington Huskies, she met a young Trojans fan who recently beat cancer, according to On3 Sports. This fan’s name was Kendra, and she had two goals: The first? Beat cancer. She did that. The second goal: Meet Watkins.
Safe to say, her bucket list for 2025 has already been finished. When Watkins saw her, the two took a photo, but her generosity took another step. The USC women’s basketball star gave Kendra her game-worn shoes. For the game, she posted 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
The game before, she took the college basketball world by storm. Watkins pulled off a feat that USC women’s basketball had not seen since 2001. Her masterful first half sparked an emphatic win against the No. 1 ranked UCLA women’s basketball program. It was one of the most anticipated games of the season.
Funny enough, UCLA even called the game against USC a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the Final Four. The top two teams in the newly Big 10 squared off, and Watkins exploded. However, the bright lights don’t influence her character. She’s continually the same person, regardless of a dominant or typical performance.
JuJu Watkins’ gesture highlights USC women’s basketball
Head coach Lindsey Gottlieb is about character. She has some of the most high-character players in the entire country on her roster. Watkins and Stanford transfer Kiki Irafen are both dominant on the court, but are equally, and maybe more productive off the court.
Still, her recognition cannot be understated. For example, Watkins’s popularity soared after a State Farm NIL deal. The money and notoriety are nice, but it hasn’t changed her outlook on a barrage of things. The fan interaction is only a glimpse of the impact she has on the women’s basketball community.
Players like her and Paige Bueckers are the faces of women’s college basketball. Their skills, but most importantly, their care factors transcend anything they achieve on the court. An action like this goes far beyond what some expect. However, it’s important not to forget that Washington almost got the better of the Trojans.
Next up for USC is a homestand against No. 22 Michigan State on Wednesday night. As February is getting closer and closer to the end, Watkins and her squad will prepare for the Big 10 tournament. There’ll likely be another matchup between them and UCLA.
Either way, there will also likely be plenty of more fan interactions before the season concludes.
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