“She could be chasing Caitlin Clark’s scoring record”: JuJu Watkins’ win vs Paige Bueckers is a “positive commentary”, hoops analyst believes
JuJu Watkins delivered an awe-inspiring performance in the USC Trojan's 72-70 win over the UConn Huskies on Saturday. The sophomore star paved the way to help hold off a late surge by the Paige Bueckers-led squad by dropping a game-high 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
In just her second year, Watkins has already become one of the league's brightest bonafide scorers. Following a 27.1 ppg average in her freshman season, Watkins is quickly following it up with 24.8 points per contest through 12 games played in the 2024-2025 campaign.
College hoops analyst Robin Lundberg believes Watkins is on pace to catch up to former Iowa Hawkeyes sensation and 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark's NCAA scoring record of 3,951 career points. The Indiana Fever guard accumulated her points total through her five years at Iowa and Watkins could do the same if she stays consistent with her scoring.
"It's only a positive commentary on the effect Caitlin Clark has had and the growth of the game that people keep trying to continue that lineage," Lundberg said on 'The Robin Lundberg Show' on YouTube.
"Who knows, if JuJu keeps this up, she could be chasing Caitlin Clark's scoring record, and then eventually she goes to the WNBA and you get that head-to-head faceoff and we'll see what's really what," he added.
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The positive commentary that the broadcaster discussed alluded to Clark's ascension to the women's basketball mountaintop and how fans and the media are looking for the next iteration of her prowess. Watkins, given her recent string of success, could be next in line and carve her own journey and identity.
"It is a great commentary for women's basketball that people are searching for that next Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins has physical tools that put her in those conversations," Lundberg said.
"If she were able to declare, she would be the number one pick already based on her size," he added.
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While Paige Bueckers is being touted as the No. 1 pick in next year's WNBA draft, Watkins is on the rise. The USC guard can't be eligible for the league yet as rules state that a player must have finished at least four years in college or be 22 years of age, but there is no doubt that she'll be the lottery pick when her time comes. Whether she came close, or even surpassed Clark's NCAA record, only time will tell.
After winning for the first time against Bueckers and the Huskies, Watkins and the Trojans will return after the holiday break to face the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday.
Robin Lundberg thinks JuJu Watkins is approaching Hannah Hidalgo's status
Lundberg said Notre Dame Fighting Irish standout Hannah Hidalgo is the best college basketball player as of right now. But, with how Watkins performed against the Huskies on their home floor, he believes that she is slowly catching up to Hidalgo.
"I believe that Hannah Hidalgo has actually been the best player in college basketball thus far. But, JuJu really put her potential on display against Paige and company. She was aggressive [and] locked in," Lundberg said.
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What do you think of Robin Lundberg's comments? Do you agree with him on JuJu Watkins potentially surpassing Caitlin Clark's NCAA record? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.