"Coaching staff and teammates gave me the most confidence": USC's JuJu Watkins on people who let her make "mistakes"

JuJu Watkins took over college basketball last season with the USC Trojans. Despite being a freshman, the guard led the team to its first Elite Eight in 30 years and brought the fans back to Galen Center.

With her taking such a huge leadership role, it was easy to forget that Watkins was just an 18-year-old. Her confidence drew fans from all over, with WNBA and NBA veterans showering their praises on the Los Angeles native.

During her appearance on Flau'jae Johnson's "Best of Both Worlds" podcast on Friday, the LSU guard asked Watkins what was the moment that instilled this confidence in her.

"I don't know if it was a specific moment for me," the USC guard said. "I just know that the coaching staff and the teammates, they give me the most confidence.

"I feel like when you are in a space where you feel so accepted and you feel like you're able to make mistakes, that's when you flourish the best, like for me at least. So just the confidence they gave me just inspired me to just be more confident in myself."

JuJu Watkins is set to lead the USC Trojans once again in the upcoming season. She is also reported to be the face of college basketball, with a rumored docuseries featuring Watkins, Flau'jae Johnson and Paige Bueckers in the works.

Coach Lindsay Gottlieb is confident in JuJu Watkins' leadership

Coach Lindsay Gottlieb took over the USC Trojans when they were 5-12 in the Pac-12. In her first year, the Trojans were 11-7 and 13-5 last year when JuJu Watkins joined from high school.

This impressive turnover in the team's prospects has instilled immense faith in Watkins' leadership. Despite the Elite Eight exit last season, Gottlieb is confident about the Trojans' prospects in the upcoming season.

Commenting on JuJu Watkins after the March Madness run in April, Lindsay Gottlieb said (via ESPN):

"I've only ever seen her respond to anything adverse in incredibly positive ways. She works harder than anyone I know. Her mind is always in the right place. She's going to have to take on some different things, right? Now it's team, leadership, things that aren't basketball related.

"I'm excited for her to really walk into everything that's coming for her. There's no question in my mind. You give her something adverse, she's going to use that just to get better."

The USC Trojans are one of the stacked teams in the NCAA for the 2024-25 season, and with their conference realignment to the Big Ten, there are high hopes for their championship prospects.