It’s no secret that JuJu Watkins is one of, if not the best, women’s college basketball players in the country. The USC Trojan sophomore is following up her freshman campaign with another terrific season and is on pace to win the Best Player in Women’s College Basketball award.
Watkins’ on-court success has garnered national media attention, most recently with her being featured on March Madness’s show “Next Generation,” which featured Watkins’ journey in an episode. In the episode, Watkins took the time to shout out her head coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, and how she has helped Watkins’ career.
JuJu Watkins Calls Lindsay Gottlieb ‘The Greatest Coach I Could Ask For’
In March Madness’s “Next Generation,” Watkins called Lindsay Gottlieb “the greatest coach I could ask for,” praising her coach for helping her along her college basketball journey.
“My goal is just to continue to get better every day.”
In the latest episode of Next Generation, go behind the scenes and learn about USC sophomore standout JuJu Watkins. From her record-breaking freshman season to her continued drive to be the best, @Jujubballin is taking the… pic.twitter.com/shlgEEyVoB
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 9, 2025
Watkins went on to say, “She pushes me to be great. She understands my vision and the standard I hold myself to.”
Watkins’ relationship with Gottlieb is clearly a great one. In just two short seasons, they’ve built a strong bond and accomplished great things.
In 2024, Watkins and Gottlieb won the Pac-12 championship and made it all the way to the Elite Eight. Now, in 2025, USC has only lost two games and is on pace to be a one-seed in the women’s tournament. There’s a real chance that USC wins the national championship this season, which would only further both Watkins and Gottlieb’s legacy.
Not only has Watkins had major on-court success, averaging over 25 points per game this season, but her elite play has led to opportunities off the court, with Watkins having an NIL worth over $730K.
KEEP READING: 2025 Women’s Bracket Predictions: Who’s In, Who’s Out, and the Biggest Surprises
Watkins and Gottlieb will now look to make a run during the Big Ten tournament this season and hopefully finish this year off with a national championship.
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