"She's so special": $3.1 million NIL-valued Caitlin Clark drops honest take on 'unreal' USC star JuJu Watkins

Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins will lead their respective teams in Elite Eight match-ups on Monday. If the Iowa Hawkeyes beat the LSU Tigers and the USC Trojans defeat the UConn Huskies, a Final Four tip-off will await Clark and Watkins.

In a pregame media chat on Sunday, the $3.1 million NIL-valued (per On3) Iowa guard said about JuJu:

"I've been able to watch as much as I can. ... especially JuJu. What she's been able to do for that program as a freshman, to come in and lead them to the Elite 8 with a chance to go to the Final Four is unreal, it's unheard of. She's so special."

JuJu Watkins and Caitlin Clark are quite similar, as they are the respective centerpieces of their teams with a huge responsibility to lead them to victory. So it's understandable that the senior guard is able to recognize the pressure on the young star and her potential.

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Gilbert Arenas favors JuJu Watkins over Caitlin Clark

Comparisons between Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins have been going around for a while now. Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas gave his thoughts on the same on his podcast, Nightcap.

"Caitlin is great. She's not JuJu. If they match up in the tournament, 1,000% JuJu's going to pick her up full court," Arenas said.

"She's (JuJu)super athletic. She will pick (Caitlin) up full court. They're going to have to set a whole bunch of screens to get JuJu off her. And if she ever tries to guard JuJu, it's lunch meat."

Arenas even went as far as to claim:

"If JuJu was allowed to come out in the draft, Fever will regret that they took Caitlin Clark No. 1."

Co-host Shannon Sharpe offered his take:

"You look at the way she's built, and you look at the way Caitlin Clark is built, I mean she can take contact, she can play through contact. She has an adult body as (an) 18-year-old."

Stats-wise, JuJu Watkins is slightly better, as she has averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in her freshman year. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark in her first season averaged 26.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists.

Watkins has led her team to the Elite Eight, but Clark's Iowa only reached Sweet 16 in her freshman season. It's also predicted that if JuJu Watkins continues with her incredible performances, she could surpass all the records set by Caitlin Clark.