USC Women's Basketball: Grad Student Tearfully Raves About JuJu Watkins' Play In Defeat

The USC women's basketball team's 2023-24 season came to a bittersweet end on Monday as the Trojans fell to UConn in the NCAA Elite Eight. Not only will this be USC's last time playing this season, but the last time the incredible duo of JuJu Watkins and McKenzie Forbes will play for the same team in college basketball. It was a tremendous last effort for the high-scoring tandem, with Watkins logging 29 points, 10 rebounds and two assists and Forbes recording 24 points, three rebounds and three assists.

While this was just Watkins' freshman season, Forbes came over to USC this year to play an extra season after previously playing for Harvard and Cal. Forbes will no longer be with USC next year, but she has faith in Watkins to carry the program going forward.

“I’m just grateful that I got to be a small part of her journey,” Forbes said, via Thuc Nhi Nguyen of The Los Angeles Times. “I think 'SC women’s basketball is in great hands.”

Forbes added that it's "scary" how good Watkins can become over her next three seasons.

“If I was a coach, [that] would be my worst nightmare,” Forbes said, via Nguyen. “But I think more than how good she is, like, Coach G kind of alluded to, it’s really rare that you get a superstar that can come in. She’s selfless. She’s mature. She’s a winner. She only cares about winning. … Seriously, I would want to be her teammate every day of the week.”

Given that Watkins broke the NCAA freshman scoring record Monday, was a first-team All-American, and already one of the best players in college basketball, the thought of her getting even better should make the Trojans one of the best teams for the next few seasons. Watch out for Watkins to be a force on the court as her college career continues.