Getty Image / Harry How
Caitlin Clark left her career at Iowa as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, men’s or women’s. But, after the freshman year that USC’s JuJu Watkins had, it may not last long.
JuJu Watkins set a national record with 920 points scored as a freshman last year for the Trojans, as she averaged 27.1 points per game. Clark’s record, which is at 3,951, is certainly in jeopardy at that pace.
Caitlin Clark could be jealous of someone who could break what is a very important accomplishment in the scoring record. But, new reporting claims that is not the case. Instead, the Indiana Fever guard reached out to offer her mentorship to Juju Watkins in the coming years.
Here’s the Orange County Register with more.
They ran into one another at the Wooden Awards at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, JuJu Watkins a finalist for the Wooden Award trophy that Clark eventually took home. It was brief, (USC coach Lindsay) Gottlieb remembered, Clark telling Watkins and Gottlieb she wished she and Iowa had the chance to play USC in the NCAA Tournament.
But Clark’s poise in speaking with Watkins stayed with Gottlieb long after that meeting, a star weightless despite carrying a movement on her shoulders, as USC’s head coach reflects on how to best mentor a player who could soon reach the celebrity Clark has tapped.
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And on Thursday, without prompting, Clark took Gottlieb’s phone and entered herself into the coach’s contacts.
“I’m certainly going to utilize that as a resource, if she’s this willing,” Gottlieb said. “I think that’s just a neat thing. And I do think it’s really cool on her part to be willing to pay it forward, so to speak, and help someone else.”
Props to Caitlin Clark for showing the initiative to mentor Juju Watkins as Juju becomes the face of women’s college basketball next year alongside UConn’s Paige Bueckers.