Social media reaction to USC women’s basketball landing Juju Watkins, USA’s No. 1 recruit
USC women’s basketball under coach Lindsay Gottlieb was not a quick fix. Sure, there was an expectation that a coach with Gottlieb’s credentials and track record would eventually get this ship turned around. There’s no question that Gottlieb’s expertise and credibility would be attractive to recruits and would eventually build a much better, more robust product at USC.
However, with Stanford, Arizona, Oregon and UCLA all residing in a stacked Pac-12 Conference — where women’s basketball has been extremely good without USC in the mix — USC wasn’t instantly going to muscle its way to the top.
It was going to take time. The program did, however, need that big moment when the landscape changed and a transformative new player altered the equation.
Enter Juju Watkins, the nation’s top-ranked recruit, who committed to USC on Tuesday. We have reactions and notes:
START SPREADIN' THE NEWS
The No. 1 player in the country is 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄.
Welcome to the #TrojanFamily, @Jujubballin! pic.twitter.com/swNKwB2RUQ
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) November 15, 2022
16 YEARS
Juju Watkins is the highest ranked women's basketball recruit to pick @USCWBB since Jacki Gemelos (@JackiG_23) in 2006. https://t.co/184ce8ef0K
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) November 15, 2022
THE BIG DOUBLE
#USC basketball has a chance for the rare double dip two for one signing the No. 1 recruits in both women's and men's basketball as five-star Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler PG Isaiah Collier will make his announcement tomorrow. https://t.co/1C2wUEOCkl
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) November 15, 2022
THE MOMENT
USC for Juju Watkins pic.twitter.com/hHBpxBaLfL
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) November 15, 2022
VIDEO
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) November 15, 2022
WOJ PARACHUTES IN
ESPN Sources: Juju Watkins – No. 1 in ESPNW’s Class of 2023 and considered a generational basketball talent – plans to sign with the University of Southern California Trojans. Monumental recruiting coup for USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb to land the Sierra Canyon (Calif.) guard. pic.twitter.com/bsMfy1CBsG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2022
PUPPY!
Technical difficulties … announcement has been delayed. But here’s a picture of Juju Watkins with a puppy named Guapo. pic.twitter.com/yLKEVH2G3t
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 15, 2022
MARKETING
From Watts to USC #Committed #KLUTCH @Jujubballin pic.twitter.com/85wTNrdKTx
— Klutch Sports Group (@KlutchSports) November 15, 2022
LINCOLN RILEY WELCOMES JUJU WATKINS
Welcome home @Jujubballin ✌️ https://t.co/XSJrsBNWBL
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) November 15, 2022
HYPE MACHINE
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄. pic.twitter.com/BhQZRWx61y
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) November 15, 2022
TEAM BUILDING
The moment the squad found out @Jujubballin was joining our family! ❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/zyQOfZ5fiE
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) November 15, 2022
INTERVIEW
Interview with an emotional Juju Watkins on her commitment to USC, what it means as a kid from Watts, her family’s support and what she wants USC hoops fans to know: pic.twitter.com/JTZ0lTSsaj
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) November 15, 2022
FROM JUJU HERSELF
There’s no place like home #fighton #committed pic.twitter.com/MWzIvONg58
— Judea (Juju) Watkins (@Jujubballin) November 15, 2022
SERIOUSLY
Can we not ask Juju Watkins about Bronny James? And now bringing up LeBron and KD. This is her moment, why can’t it be HER MOMENT?! Men don’t need to be at the center of every woman’s story.
— Eden Laase-Derouin (@eden_laase) November 15, 2022
STAYING HOME
No. 1 women’s basketball recruit Juju Watkins, who grew up 10 miles from the USC campus, signed her national letter of intent with the Trojans. https://t.co/G5D6yCvEsU
— Charlotte Gibson (@TheCharlotteSue) November 15, 2022
SOME CLIPS
2023 #1 ranked Juju Watkins just committed to USC 🚨 @Jujubballin pic.twitter.com/Ac3iMxoJa1
— Overtime (@overtime) November 15, 2022
LINDSAY GOTTLIEB ON THE BIG NEWS
#USC women's basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb on signing Juju Watkins: "JuJu had the courage to stay home and is driven to bring USC women’s basketball back to prominence."
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) November 15, 2022
TROJAN ROOTS
A picture of Juju Watkins at six years old from her aunt, Trescelle Watkins. Roots run deep. pic.twitter.com/g74aRLGS5R
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) November 15, 2022
