WATCH: USC star JuJu Watkins celebrates her special day with the team

USC Trojans sensation JuJu Watkins celebrated her birthday on July 15 with her teammates. The video was posted by USC's Rayah Marshall on her Instagram story.

"JUJU DAY," Marshall wrote in her story.

JuJu Watkins, who turned 19, will return to play college basketball for USC for at least another season. The scoring machine for the program, Watkins, averaged 27.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 3.3 apg in the 2023–24 season.

As a result, she was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, making it to the Pac-12 All-Defensive and All-Freshman Teams. She joined USC from Sierra Canyon High School in Los Angeles as a five-star recruit. In her last season there, she was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2023), an achievement every high school player dreams about.

Watkins won the Best Breakthrough Athlete Award at the 2024 ESPY Awards for her amazing freshman season. LeBron James' agent and CEO of Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, congratulated Watkins, who signed with his company in 2022.

"Congrats @jujubballin !!," Paul wrote in his Instagram Story.

JuJu expressed her gratitude on stage for winning the award.

"This is crazy. I want to thank all the great, powerful women who came before me that made this possible," Watkins said.

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb also showered praise for JuJu after the victory as she talked about her work ethic.

"ESPY winner last night. Back to back work this morning for Filthy Friday. @jujubballin ALWAYS keeps the main thing the making thing. Different," she wrote in her Instagram Story.

JuJu Watkins talks about the spotlight on women's college basketball

Sports: The ESPYS Red Carpet (IMAGN)

In the last two seasons, especially the 2023–24 season, women's college basketball has seen a surge in its popularity and players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, JuJu Watkins, and many more are some of the reasons.

Watkins appeared on "NBA Unplugged" with Kevin Hart, where she talked about the growth of women's basketball.

"It's definitely so exciting. I mean, just to see the crowds. We're getting the support, the media attention, it just inspires me to keep working harder, and the attention is very well deserved," Watkins said.

"So many great players um in the W and in college right now on the women's side, and we're all just killing it honestly, so I'm excited to see how well my peers and I do," she added.

After the transition of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to the WNBA, JuJu Watkins will be one of the faces of women's college basketball next season.