USC women’s basketball superstar JuJu Watkins delivered a winning performance in her coaching debut, but her honest self-reflection has basketball fans buzzing. Despite leading “Team JuJu” to an impressive 80-64 victory over Team Flau’jae [Johnson] at the Gatorade-sponsored Overtime Select event, the Trojans’ standout wasn’t entirely satisfied.
The 6’2″ guard shared her hilarious post-game assessment on her Instagram story — her candid reaction showcased the same competitive drive that made her a generational talent, even when stepping into an entirely different role as mentor and coach for elite high school prospects.
USC Star JuJu Watkins Coaches Team to Victory in Gatorade-Overtime Event
Following her team’s dominant performance at the OTE Arena in Atlanta, USC superstar — and this time coach — JuJu Watkins took to Instagram with a playful self-assessment, posting, “Safe to say I don’t have a future in coaching” alongside laughing emojis.
Despite her self-proclaimed coaching struggles, Watkins demonstrated natural leadership qualities throughout the contest. She was seen actively motivating her players, emphasizing teamwork with instructions like “help your teammates” and celebrating the bond between the young athletes by exclaiming “sisterhood.”
The Gatorade-sponsored event featured some of the nation’s top high school prospects, with Watkins’ Team JuJu roster including standout performers like Kaleena Smith, a five-star 2027 point guard currently ranked as the top player in her class by 247 Sports.
The showcase provided these rising stars with invaluable exposure while learning from established college basketball icons like Watkins and her rival coach, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson.
The USC junior, who averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in her sophomore campaign, kept her coaching strategy simple, reportedly writing “Just Win” on the whiteboard for her team — a potential reference to the famous motto from legendary NFL Raiders coach AL Davis. In the end, her team “got the dub.”
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This no-nonsense mentality, combined with her ability to connect with the young players, created the perfect environment for success despite her humorous self-doubts about her coaching abilities.
The event highlighted Watkins’ growing influence beyond her on-court achievements. Having already established herself as one of college basketball’s brightest stars with her record-breaking freshman season and Naismith Player of the Year honors, her willingness to mentor the next generation demonstrates her commitment to the women’s game.
While Watkins’ 2025-25 season ended unexpectedly with an ACL tear in the second round of March Madness, resulting in missing out on the 2025 WNBA Draft. Still, Watkins will return for the Trojans for her third year.
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