JuJu Watkins comments on viewership of women’s basketball looking back at Caitlin Clark’s 2024 national championship game vs South Carolina

JuJu Watkins respects the impact Caitlin Clark left on the game of women's college basketball before joining the professional ranks of the WNBA. The USC star understands this by looking back on the 2024 national championship game.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, Watkins gave her stance on the growing popularity of women's basketball thanks to the influence Caitlin Clark is having on the sport.

The 2024 national championship game between Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks wound up being watched more than the championship game of the men's tournament. It marked the first time in NCAA history that this feat occurred.

"I think that it's definitely a trend now," Watkins said.

Watkins gave a more recent example of women's basketball growing in popularity, using the matchup USC had against UConn on Dec. 21. That game had 2.23 million viewers tune in to the event, the most-viewed women's basketball game this season as well as being the second-highest rated game ever broadcasted on Fox Sports.

"For that to not even be a March Madness matchup, and to see that, I can only imagine what it will be like in March," Watkins said.

JuJu Watkins, USC maintain dominance in AP Top 25

JuJu Watkins and the fourth-ranked USC Trojans (15-1, 5-0 Big Ten) have dominated all but one of their opponents as they are midway through the 2024-25 season.

They have a lot of momentum as they possess an 11-game winning streak. USC averages 84.1 points on 46.1% shooting (32.4% from beyond the arc), blowing out opponents by 30.7 ppg.

Watkins has a huge role in their wins as the heart of the USC offense, putting up 24.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.9 blocks. She boasts solid shooting splits of 44.4% overall and 34.3% from downtown.

The Associated Press has noted the Trojan's success, placing them high in the latest poll on Monday. The rankings show them with the fourth spot, trailing undefeated UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame.

Up next, JuJu Watkins and the Trojans will host Penn State at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.