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USC’s JuJu Watkins Named USA Today Girls Basketball Player of the Year
August 02, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Trojan freshman adds another national award to her resume as she enters her first season at USC.
USC incoming freshman JuJu Watkins earned another major national honor with her selection as USA Today's 2022-23 Girls Basketball Player of the Year, as awarded on its High School Sports Awards show on July 30.
The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards is the largest high school athletic recognition program in the country with 14 regional award shows and one national awards program. Watkins was named the winner from a team of 25 nominees picked from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Winners were picked in 31 individual sports. Additionally, nine premier awards were given, including Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year, Boys and Girls Teams of the Year, Boys and Girls Coaches of the Year, Special Olympics Athlete of the Year and the Courage Award.
Also named the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year in back-to-back years, Watkins is coming off a storied high school career at Sierra Canyon High School. In her senior season, the McDonald's All-American helped lead the Trailblazers to a 31-1 record and the CIF-Southern Section Open Division title while averaging 27.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Watkins became just the second Trojan to win the Gatorade National award, following in the footsteps of 1990 honoree Lisa Leslie — another Los Angeles native. A 6-2 guard, Watkins also won the 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith High School Trophy this year alongside USC men's basketball signee Isaiah Collier, marking the first time in history that the Naismith's top high school basketball awards have both gone to athletes signed on to attend to the same university. Lisa Leslie also was the last USC female to win that award. Also this year, Watkins was named the MaxPreps Player of the Year for the second straight year and was selected Co-MVP at the McDonald's All-American Game. The WBCA also named her High School Player of the Year and to the Coaches' All-America Team.
Watch the full High School Sports Awards show here (Girls Player of the Year award starts at 1:11 mark) —> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9pSBHRdfMI
For more information on the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards program and to see all the regional and national award winners, go to https://sportsawards.usatoday.com/
The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards is the largest high school athletic recognition program in the country with 14 regional award shows and one national awards program. Watkins was named the winner from a team of 25 nominees picked from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Winners were picked in 31 individual sports. Additionally, nine premier awards were given, including Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year, Boys and Girls Teams of the Year, Boys and Girls Coaches of the Year, Special Olympics Athlete of the Year and the Courage Award.
Also named the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year in back-to-back years, Watkins is coming off a storied high school career at Sierra Canyon High School. In her senior season, the McDonald's All-American helped lead the Trailblazers to a 31-1 record and the CIF-Southern Section Open Division title while averaging 27.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Watkins became just the second Trojan to win the Gatorade National award, following in the footsteps of 1990 honoree Lisa Leslie — another Los Angeles native. A 6-2 guard, Watkins also won the 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith High School Trophy this year alongside USC men's basketball signee Isaiah Collier, marking the first time in history that the Naismith's top high school basketball awards have both gone to athletes signed on to attend to the same university. Lisa Leslie also was the last USC female to win that award. Also this year, Watkins was named the MaxPreps Player of the Year for the second straight year and was selected Co-MVP at the McDonald's All-American Game. The WBCA also named her High School Player of the Year and to the Coaches' All-America Team.
Watch the full High School Sports Awards show here (Girls Player of the Year award starts at 1:11 mark) —> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9pSBHRdfMI
For more information on the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards program and to see all the regional and national award winners, go to https://sportsawards.usatoday.com/
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