Watch: USC star JuJu Watkins visits Roc Nation headquarters to meet up with rapper Jay-Z's inner circle 

USC star JuJu Watkins recently visited Roc Nation headquarters, earning a shoutout from Jay-Z himself. During the visit, Watkins shared jerseys and other merch with Jay-Z's inner circle.

Emory Jones, Jay-Z's friend and business partner, called Watkins his "favorite player in the world right now," adding that it was "an honor" to meet her. She also met Jay-Z's sister. In one of her Instagram stories from the trip, Watkins said she "loved her energy". Although Jay-Z wasn’t there in person, JuJu spoke to him via FaceTime. Jay-Z then praised Watkins, saying:

"You go hard. You got a tough game. You got game like a grown man."

Watch the highlights of her visit here:

He also expressed his desire to attend one of her games, promising to "pull up on her" and the team soon. Watkins later told her followers that the call left her "speechless."

Watkins' influence is growing both on and off the court, and with Caitlin Clark now moving to the WNBA, it is up to young stars like Watkins to carry the mantle for women’s basketball at the collegiate level.

JuJu Watkins excited about women's basketball attention

Women’s basketball is getting its fair share of the spotlight lately, thanks to sensations like Caitlin Clark, Hannah Hidalgo, Paige Bueckers and many more. The rising star of the USC Trojans, Juju Watkins is excited over the increasing attention to women’s college basketball.

Players like Watkins, Raven Johnson and Angel Reese are names that are on the tips of all basketball enthusiasts' tongues. In a recent appearance on "NBA Unplugged" during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers on May 28, Watkins shared her thoughts on the progress of women's sports in college with Kevin Hart:

"It's definitely so exciting," Watkins said. "Just to see the crowds, the support, the media attention, it just inspires me to keep working harder. The attention is very well deserved."

Watkins also praised her peers, who have raised the bar for competition:

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

USC made a journey to the Elite Eight last season, their first since 1994. Despite losing in the same round to the UConn Huskies, the Trojans earned admiration for their impressive skills and tenacity on the court, thanks in large to JuJu Watkins.