"It's legendary stuff": USC HC Lindsay Gottlieb hails JuJu Watkins' decision to join Trojans despite being 12-16 in a season prior

JuJu Watkins shocked many when she chose to play her college career with the USC Trojans in 2023, despite receiving offers from several major programs like South Carolina and Stanford. The Trojans had been one of the underperforming teams in the Pac-12, a season prior to her joining.

However, the Los Angeles native chose to stay close to home and play for USC because she wanted to be a part of the change that coach Lindsay Gottlieb was trying to achieve. Upon her debut, Watkins broke records and led USC to a Pac-12 Tournament title and the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.

During an interview with Women's Hoops Network, Gottlieb spoke on signing Watkins:

"I kind of knew that it would be game-changing for all of us," the coach said. "You know, you set the vision; you want people to believe in that vision but when a young person of her stature chooses to come here when we were 12-16 the year before when she could go anywhere when the easier thing to do would have been to go to one of these more established programs.

"The courage it took for her to do that, the belief in me, the belief in USC, really the belief in herself to be able to do something next level where you bring a program back and connect it to the community, I think it's legendary stuff. So I was pretty excited at the time."

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The immediate impact of JuJu Watkins on USC Trojans

JuJu Watkins is a McDonald's All-American and a five-star recruit. With the arrival of a star athlete like her at USC, fans thronged to the Galen Center. The Trojans opening home game of the 2023-24 season had a 4,712-strong audience, their biggest crowd since 2010.

As the season progressed, the average numbers grew and JuJu Watkins was at the center of it all. During the 2024 March Madness, Watkins led the Trojans to their first Elite Eight appearance since 1994.

At the time of her commitment, JuJu Watkins said (via LA Times):

“To just be born and raised here, and to have a community behind me is amazing. And to just continue my L.A. legacy … I just think that hits different when I’m born and raised here and I get to continue my journey.”

The Trojans have the No.1 recruiting class of the 2024-25 season and are poised to lead the campaign for the NCAA championship next year.

What do you think of JuJu Watkin's effect on the USC Trojans? Let us know in the comment section below.