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Posts tagged as “Juju Watkins”

USA Basketball Women’s National Team Unveils the 15-Woman Roster for April Training Camp

April 1, 2026

USA Basketball just announced the 15 players who will participate in a training camp set for April 1-3 in Phoenix.

  1. A’ja Wilson
  2. Azura Stevens
  3. Brittney Sykes
  4. Cameron Brink
  5. JuJu Watkins
  6. Kayla Thornton
  7. Mikayla Blakes
  8. Monique Billings
  9. Napheesa Collier
  10. Paige Bueckers
  11. Rae Burrell
  12. Rickea Jackson
  13. Sabrina Ionescu
  14. Stefanie Dolson
  15. Veronica Burton

2025-28 USA Basketball Women’s National Team head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University) will lead training camp and will be assisted by court coaches Niele Ivey (Notre Dame), Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Shea Ralph (Vanderbilt University), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever).

USA Women’s National Team managing director Sue Bird is set to evaluate the current roster pool ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin. This assessment will include players from the recent qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico as the U.S. prepares to pursue its fifth consecutive gold medal from September 4–13.

USA Basketball Women’s National Team Announces Star-Studded Roster for December Training Camp at Duke

November 25, 2025

The USA Basketball Women’s National Team just announce the 18-player roster for its upcoming training camp, scheduled for December 12-14 at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

The camp’s 18-player roster is a mix of championship experience and rising talent. Headlining the group are five 2024 Olympic gold medalists: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. Joined by Dearica Hamby, a bronze medalist from the 2024 3×3 Olympic competition. Other accomplished veterans include 2022 FIBA World Cup champion Brionna Jones.

The camp will also mark the senior National Team debut for ten highly anticipated young players: Lauren Betts, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Veronica Burton, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Clark, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson, Angel Reese, and JuJu Watkins. Many of these newcomers, including Aliyah Boston, already boast gold medals from various junior and youth international competitions. Kiki Iriafen will make her first appearance with USA Basketball. The roster also features numerous players with 3×3 experience, including Olympic medalists Plum and Young.

The training will be led by 2025-28 Women’s National Team head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University). She will be supported by a veteran coaching staff featuring court coaches Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries, 2025 WNBA COY), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury), and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever, 2023 WNBA COY).

Managing Director Sue Bird will use the camp to evaluate the athletes as the program begins preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, where the USA aims to secure an unprecedented fifth consecutive gold medal.

Full list of ESPYS 2025 Award winner with Caitlin Clark bagging the Best WNBA Player

July 17, 2025

The 2025 ESPYS just concluded their presentation of the greatest athletes and moments in sports this year, and below are the winners. As a sport, basketball got the most awards this year, with 7 players taking home particular honors. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder received two awards: Best NBA Player and Best Athlete – Men’s Sports. On the women’s side, Caitlin Clark was awarded Best WNBA Player, while Cooper Flagg and JuJu Watkins bagged the Best College Athlete awards for male and female, respectively.

Then we have the legends of the sports, Diana Taurasi and former USWNT player Alex Morgan were honored with the prestigious Icon Award, while former NBA player Oscar Robertson received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.

Here’s the full list of winners of the 2025 ESPY Awards.

  • Best Championship Performance: Simone Biles, Olympic gymnastics all-around
  • Best Play: Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle
  • Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Sloane Stephens
  • Capital One Cup Winners: UNC women and Ohio State men
  • Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Katie Schumacher-Cawley
  • Icon Award: Alex Morgan and Diana Taurasi

  • Pat Tillman Award for Service: Los Angeles County firefighters David Walters and Erin Regan
  • Gatorade Players of the Year: Jane Hedengren and Cameron Boozer
  • Best Comeback Athlete: Suni Lee, USA Gymnastics
  • Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Rishin Tandon, Maegha Ramanathan and Ian Waite
  • Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Oscar Robertson
  • Best Athlete – Men’s Sports: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Best Record-Breaking Performance: Alexander Ovechkin, NHL all-time goals leader
  • Best Team: Philadelphia Eagles, NFL
  • Best NBA Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Best WNBA Player: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

  • Best College Athlete – Men’s Sports: Cooper Flagg, Duke men’s basketball
  • Best College Athlete – Women’s Sports: JuJu Watkins, USC women’s basketball
  • Best Athlete with a Disability: Noah Elliott, Para Snowboarding
  • Best NFL Player: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  • Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Best NHL Player: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
  • Best Driver: Max Verstappen, F1
  • Best UFC Fighter: Merab Dvalishvili
  • Best Boxer: Katie Taylor
  • Best Soccer Player: Christian Pulisic, AC Milan, USMNT
  • Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler
  • Best Tennis Player: Coco Gauff

USC’s Juju Watkins tears ACL and will undergo season-ending surgery

March 27, 2025

USC Superstar JuJu Watkins has suffered a season ending injury after tearing her ACL in her right knee in the second-round game of the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament between USC Trojans and Mississippi State Bulldogs, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Watkins was carried of the court due to pain from the injury that she suffered with just 5 mins into the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Even without their Superstar Guard, USC was able to advance to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament and will face Kansas State Wildcats this 30th of March.

Before her injury, JuJu Watkins led the USC Trojans in points (23.9 ppg) and assists (3.4) this season. Now, with Watkins missing the remainder of the season, Kiki Iriafen and the rest of the USC squad will need to step up their game to advance to the Final Four of the tournament.

Watch this Nike Super Bowl Ad Featuring Women Basketball stars Caitline Clark, A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and Juju Watkins

February 10, 2025

There’s one guarantee in sport. You’ll be told you can’t do it. So do it anyway.

You can’t win. So Win.

Here are the athletes featured in the ad (alphabetically);

  • Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark
  • American Gymnast Jordan Chiles
  • New York Liberty Guard Sabrina Ionescu
  • USC Guard JuJu Watkins
  • Portland Thorns Forward Sophia Wilson
  • Las Vegas Aces Center A’ja Wilson
  • Barcelona Midfielder Alexia Putellas
  • American Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson
  • Belarusian Tennis Player Aryna Sabalenka

Looks like Women’s sports is on the rise!

Iowa Hawkeyes to retire Caitlin Clark’s No. 22 jersey on Feb 2, 2025

December 19, 2024

University of Iowa Athletics Department has announced that they will retire the iconic No. 22 of Hawkeye women’s basketball legend, Caitlin Clark on Feb. 2, 2025, at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“I’m forever proud to be a Hawkeye and Iowa holds a special place in my heart that is bigger than just basketball,” Clark said. “It means the world to me to receive this honor and to celebrate it with my family, friends and alumni. It will be a great feeling to look up in the rafters and see my jersey alongside those that I’ve admired for so long.”

Clark will be in attendance and the Hawkeyes will face Juju Watkins and the USC Women’s basketball team. The game is will air on FOX and the Hawkeye Radio Network.

WNBA secures $2.2 Billion Media Rights Deals with the Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video and NBC Universal

July 25, 2024

The WNBA has secured a groundbreaking 11-year media rights deal with The Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC Universal. This partnership will significantly increase the visibility of women’s basketball, with more games broadcast across multiple platforms. The 11-year media rights is reported to be worth $2.2 Billion or $200 million per year.

The new deal will start in 2026, WNBA fans can expect to see over 125 regular season and playoff games each year. Disney will air 25 regular-season games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, while NBCU will broadcast 50 regular-season games on NBC, USA Network, and Peacock. Amazon Prime Video will stream 30 regular-season games globally.

Disney will broadcast two first-round series each year, while NBCU and Prime Video will each air one. The Semifinals and Finals will rotate over the 11-year deal, with Disney airing more Finals and NBCU and Prime Video airing more Semifinals.

Additionally, Disney platforms will continue to telecast all events from WNBA All-Star, including the All-Star Game, and the WNBA Draft, while Prime Video will continue to stream the Championship Game of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase. Prime Video Channels will be the global channels store destination for WNBA League Pass, the WNBA’s subscription service for streaming live and on-demand games, in the U.S. and internationally.

Included in the deals, is the potential for WNBA and Media Partners to review and reevaluate the rights fees after three years, giving the league the chance to receive more money.

This announcement comes on the heels of a record-breaking season for the WNBA, with increased viewership, attendance, and merchandise sales. The league is also expanding with new teams in San Francisco/Bay Area and Toronto. With the current crop of WNBA rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink, and with the influx of generational talent from the college ranks like Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins, that $2.2 Billion could be a very good deal.