“Now they’re scared to play me” - USC star Juju Watkins claims to overpower her 2 big brothers on basketball court

JuJu Watkins has been the face of the USC Trojans in her freshman season, leading them to the Elite Eight. Now, in the off-season, the young guard is making the most of her time by appearing on podcasts, participating in panel discussions and even throwing the first pitch at the LA Dodgers baseball game.

Adding to this, JuJu Watkins joined visual artist Devon Rodriguez for a short interview while he sketched her. While talking about her earliest basketball memories, Watkins said:

"I don't remember. But I think my earliest memory was always playing in the backyard with my brothers. I grew up with two bigger brothers, so. They were just big and strong so that was always an advantage. But now they're scared to play me."

Despite her leading the Trojans and bringing more attention to the team along with ticket sales to their games, Watkins initially did not believe that she was destined to be a star.

"I never. I never thought. I was actually not good when I first started. So I couldn't really see the potential. But once I started working out with my dad and slowly getting better, I was like, okay maybe I can take this somewhere."

In her freshman season, JuJu Watkins averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals. When Rodriguez asked about her biggest challenge so far, she said:

"The biggest challenge so far is my freshman year. Just not really knowing what to expect. And a lot being thrown at me and just learning how to take everything on."

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JuJu Watkins kills it at practice, despite her broken finger

Apart from enjoying her time off, JuJu Watkins is preparing hard for the upcoming season. With the No. 1 ranked recruiting class (per ESPN) and two major transfer portal additions, the USC Trojans are poised to lead the race to the championship.

In a video posted to Instagram by Swish Cultures, Watkins is seen practicing her dribbling and shooting while holding away her bandaged right hand.

Fans in the comments were shocked by JuJu Waktins's dedication to the game with many calling her the next Micheal Jordan to Angel Reese's Magic Johnson and Caitlin Clark's Larry Bird. With her predicted to be the face of the sport, the pressure is on Watkins to deliver the best.