Sports
USC’s JuJu Watkins is poised to become the face of women’s college basketball, picking up the torch left by Caitlin Clark
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) – JuJu Watkins appeared with Joel Embiid in an AT&T business and threw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game.
The next great opportunity is almost here.
The Southern California sophomore standout has a likelihood to take over the baton that Caitlin Clark has carried for the past few years as the standard-bearer of women’s college basketball.
“I wouldn’t really say there’s pressure,” she said Wednesday during Big Ten media day. “There are a lot of great teams in this league and I think my main focus is winning with my team. And wherever that takes us, we are grateful. I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
Watkins and USC enter their first season in the Big Ten with rising expectations.
Last 12 months, the Trojans reached the Elite Eight of their deepest NCAA Tournament in three many years and were picked by each the coaches and media panel to win the conference championship. Watkins was named Preseason Player of the Year after a record-setting season as a freshman, and the opportunities ahead seem limitless at a time when interest in the sport has never been greater.
Clark, thanks to a series of three-pointers from Stephen Curry’s range, paved that path over the last 4 years at Iowa. She set a Division I record by averaging 28.4 points in her profession and was the obvious alternative to be drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever.
Meanwhile, Watkins was a first-team All-American last season. She finished second in the nation behind Clark in scoring at 27.1 points per game and set a national record for a freshman with a complete of 920. USC routinely played to packed crowds with celebrities in attendance.
“I don’t know if there was a young African-American women’s basketball superstar at that age who could use that platform, but I think it’s going to do a ton of good for the communities both in Los Angeles and across the country,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I wouldn’t bet against her that she can handle anything. At the same time, our job is to prepare her for what may come and make sure she can enjoy life and be a child.”
She said Watkins showed last 12 months that she was ready to “take women’s basketball by storm.”
“This is what she did with courage, grace and authenticity that is exceptional,” Gottlieb said. Obviously, she’s a very different person and a very different player than Caitlin Clark. But I feel similarly, expectations are getting higher and better, and so they are still being fulfilled.”
Lifestyle
Gottlieb said USC administrators contacted Iowa State with questions on safety and the way the school kept Clark secure. She has also reached out to Clark and plans to call former coach Lisa Bluder, who retired in May, for advice on how to cope with such an influential player.
“Ask her to talk about what she would have done differently, what she did, what she had to learn and what she had to adapt to, even in terms of signing autographs, about the tour and when you meet with your band – that’s all” – Gottlieb he said. “Why not help each other and be a resource for each other, and then we can learn as much as we can from them.”
Iowa State coach Jan Jensen, Bluder’s longtime assistant, had some advice.
“In your home you try to protect yourself,” she said. “The world can be turning pretty fast and everybody can be talking and wanting Juju to proceed producing. I’d say that the big world outside can stay big, but in your world it should feel quite small and tight.
Watkins and USC find themselves in a complete recent world. It’s the same with the Big Ten with the arrival of the Trojans, UCLA, Oregon and Washington from the Pac-12. But since Clark is now in the WNBA, the league has one other torchbearer.
“It’ll be fun to watch him evolve,” said Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff, who saw Watkins rating 32 points in a gap loss to the Trojans in Las Vegas last 12 months. “I think the Big Ten will give her an even bigger stage than the one she was on. “When you add to that the fact that he’s in Los Angeles, I think he’s going to be someone who will really help continue to take the sport in a great direction.”
Sports
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker brings an NBA championship desire with his Olympic experience
The gold medal went to the USA Basketball team. Mission completed on the 2024 Paris Games. U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr just answered his final query during his final news conference on Aug. 10 after his team defeated France within the gold medal game.
However, before leaving the stage of the press conference in Paris, Kerr stopped to deliver an unsolicited message to media around the globe.
“Devin Booker is an amazing basketball player. Nobody asked about him. He was our unsung MVP. I just desired to say that,” Kerr said.
The “underrated MVP” compliment meant so much to the Phoenix Suns guard.
“It meant everything. No one really asked him,” Booker recently told Andscape. “That was probably something that was weighing on his mind throughout the entire process. A 12 months ago I said what I desired to do for this team and what we desired to do for the country.
“It was a lot larger than all of us. Survival was something we’d discuss for the remainder of our lives.
The USA Basketball team was centered around NBA star icons LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. There has also been some discussion amongst media and fans in regards to the lack of playing time for Jayson Tatum and, to a lesser extent, Tyrese Haliburton. Lost within the shuffle was the all-around, unselfish play of sharpshooter Booker wearing the armband.
Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Booker was fourth in scoring for the U.S., averaging 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and a couple of.2 three-pointers made early in all six Olympics, and likewise had the perfect plus/minus (plus-130) for an American. Kerr was impressed with Booker’s deal with a difficult defense, regardless that he is thought for his offense, ball movement and the way he has adjusted to not being one in every of the highest options on offense.
“I just understood what was at stake,” Booker said. “I’m proud to be from this country. I’m happy with playing basketball. Even though it wasn’t invented in America, we dominated for a very long time. Obviously the world is incredibly talented and the sport is growing, however it was just one other message to allow them to know who we’re.
Booker said he also learned in regards to the preparations from his all-star team, watching the preparations on and off the court. The 28-year-old added that he gained lifelong friendships.
“It’s cool to see that everyone has their own issues,” Booker said. “In my 10 years in the NBA, I’ve learned that you have to choose what you can use for yourself. But the level of detail, the attention to detail, the intensity – it’s all consistent across the board.”
As for Durant, Booker said the bond between the 2 Sun stars “is close and grows stronger every day.” They live about five minutes from one another within the Phoenix area and commonly spend time at home and on the road. Most recently, Booker had to steer the Suns without Durant, who was sidelined with an injury.
The amazing Durant averaged 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and three.4 assists, which were tops for the Suns. However, the 14-time NBA All-Star has been sidelined since November 8 with a left calf strain. Suns players Bradley Beal (calf) and Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) were also sidelined. The Suns are 1-5 without Durant, which incorporates 4 straight losses.
Booker and Suns sans Durant’s next rivals shall be the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET). Over the last six games, Booker is averaging 24.1 points, shooting 43.2% from the sphere and making 16 of 43 three-pointers. Suns guard Tyus Jones said there was numerous pressure on Booker offensively due to the injury.
“We’re asking a lot of Book,” Jones said after Monday’s 109-99 loss to the visiting Orlando Magic. “It’s numerous pressure for him. We are very focused on it. They are physical with him, holding him and grabbing him, throwing two or three bodies at him all night long. So he’s got so much on his plate and we just need to proceed to seek out ways to get him open within the moments we will and proceed to assist him when other players are taking shots and making plays.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Booker currently has two Olympic gold medals, 4 NBA All-Star appearances and one NBA Finals appearance. The only thing missing from the Suns’ second-leading all-time scorer is an NBA championship. Since the Suns joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1968, they’ve yet to win a title.
After experiencing the joys of winning a gold medal, Booker as an NBA champion wants the gold Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy much more.
“Most of the guys that were there did it,” Booker said of his Olympic teammates who were NBA champions. “They were champions. This is standard for them. Anything lower than that, they need nothing to do with it. It’s contagious…
“That’s all I want. That’s all I want.”
After months of introducing the players and coaches who will participate in its inaugural season, the brand new Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league announced its team rosters and coaching assignments on Wednesday.
Founded by WNBA players Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled consists of six teams of six players each. The league was created to offer WNBA players with a substitute for playing overseas in the course of the offseason.
Although initially announced as having 30 players, the league has since expanded to 36, which Collier attributed “above financial forecasts”. The league has announced 34 players publicly up to now.
The inaugural season of Unrivaled will begin on January 17, 2025, with all games going down in Miami. Here are the official teams for the inaugural season, as well season schedule.
Vinyl Basketball Club:
– Coach: Teresa Weatherspoon
Rose Basketball Club:
– Coach: Nola Henry
Mgła basketball club:
– Coach: Phil Handy
Lunar Owls Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: DJ Sackmann
Phantom Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: Adam Harrington
Laces Basketball Club:
– Coach: Andrew Wade
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