After one of the best freshman seasons in women's college basketball history, Watkins has emerged as the face of the sport. With Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese heading to the WNBA, Watkins could become a big name in the women's college game heading into the 2024-25 season.
With her fame and such high expectations, there is a lot of pressure on Ms. Watkins. The pressure has been on Watkins since she arrived at USC last year as the nation's No. 1 recruit. That pressure has increased exponentially since then, as she proved what she was capable of during her dominant freshman campaign, when she led USC to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years. did.
Even someone as cool and grounded as Watkins can sometimes feel like the pressure is getting to her.
“I think I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel pressure sometimes,” Watkins said, via On3's Talia Goodman. She just knows that there's so much attention on women's basketball right now and she's trying to keep it from getting attention.'' She lost it. “
If there's anyone better suited to handle all of this, it's Watkins. Whether in the heat of a game or talking to reporters after a game, Watkins almost always maintains a calm and humble demeanor. In addition to her poise, Watkins is truly amazing.
She became the first freshman to score over 900 points, broke the NCAA freshman scoring record, and won nearly every freshman of the year award last season. She averaged 27.1 points per game, second in the NCAA behind Clark, and always came through when it mattered at USC. Watkins scored at least 20 points in every game in the NCAA Tournament last season, including 29 points in the Elite Eight loss to UW.
Even if Watkins misses a game, the Trojans are in a position to succeed without relying solely on their superstar. They also welcome the No. 1 recruiting class in the country with top transfers Kiki Illiafen and Talia von Olhoffen. They should have championship team talent with one of the best players in the sport at the collegiate level.
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