"Means so much from one of my mentors": JuJu Watkins has emotional reaction to Phil Handy's latest comments about future
JuJu Watkins led USC from the front during its Elite Eight run last year. Now, the young guard is all set to lead the Trojans to another NCAA Tournament in the upcoming season.
Former LA Lakers assistant coach and Watkins' longtime mentor, Phil Handy, spoke on the "All the Smoke" podcast and praised her mindset and hunger to learn more about the game. The USBWA National Freshman of the Year reposted the Instagram clip to her story, with the caption:
" 🥲🫶🏽🫶🏽 Means so much from one of my mentors"
In the excerpt posted from the podcast, Handy said:
"She's trying to learn, man. She wants to be great; she wants to understand the nuances of 'How do I beat double teams? You know, teams are trying to force me. How do I get better at this? What does my base look like in the post?'
"She asked so many questions to make sure that she's like really trying to get her game right. ... I just think that she's still scratching the surface. She still has so much more. She's still a baby. ... She's just now entering into that realm of really starting to understand the nuances of the game. It's going to be a beautiful thing to continue to see her grow."
Handy won three NBA titles with three teams while serving as an assistant coach (Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, Toronto Raptors in 2019 and LA Lakers in 2020). He was on the University of Hawaii basketball team and won the Western Athletic Conference championship with the school.
Can JuJu Watkins end USC's championship drought?
The USC Trojans last won their NCAA title in 1984 and had their last Final Four appearance in 1986. The 2024 Elite Eight run was the first since 1994. However, hopes are high for the University of Southern California's 2024-25 season with JuJu Watkins at the helm once again.
The Trojans are also ranked first in the 2024 recruiting class, with No. 6 recruit Kennedy Smith joining along with No. 13 Kayleigh Heckel, No. 16 Avery Howell, No. 54 Rian Forestier and No. 92 Laura Williams. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb also added Talia Von Oelhoffen and Kiki Iriafen from the transfer portal.
With all the pieces in place, the USC Trojans are considered one of the frontrunners for the title next season. In addition to this, the change from Pac-12 to Big Ten is also said to increase their chances.
What do you think of JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans in the upcoming season? Let us know in the comment section below.
Also read: $90 million worth Paul George commends JuJu Watkins unique fashion choices: "You're gonna start a generational thing"