USC star JuJu Watkins is the AP Player of the Year and just the fourth sophomore to earn that honor

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — JuJu Watkins, the sensational sophomore who led Southern California to its best season in nearly 40 years, was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women's basketball Player of the Year.

Watkins, whose Trojans won the Big Ten regular-season title for their first conference crown in 31 years, received 29 votes from the 31-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo got the other two. Both were first-team AP All-Americans.

“I think what's so significant about this award is that this was a year that didn't have an absence of talent and stars, and JuJu found a way to elevate herself and her team,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said.

Watkins became just the fourth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma's Courtney Paris (2007) and UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014). The AP started giving out the award in 1995 and Watkins is the first Trojans player to win it.

“She makes a lot of things that aren’t easy look easy,” Gottlieb said. “It's one thing to say she's a generational talent, but another to actually do it and put yourself up with names like Stewie, Maya and Courtney Paris.”

Watkins is already in the top 10 on USC's career scoring list, ranking ninth. She was averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists before her season was cut short in the NCAA Tournament with an ACL injury suffered in the second round against Mississippi State.

Watkins accepted the award via Zoom from Los Angeles.

“I'm just so honored to be recognized in this fashion,” she said. “I want to thank my teammates, my amazing coaches, my family and friends. They made all this possible. I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love.”

AP Coach of the Year Cori Close praised Watkins for what she's done on and off the court.

“I've been able to see what she does for underserved communities and her commitment to really stay true to serve where she came from,” Close said. “I know that everybody knows what an amazing basketball player JuJu Watkins is, but I think this is an incredible award because I know her heart of service and I want to congratulate her for what she's done.”

Watkins raised her game against the best opponents. In the six games against teams in AP top 10, she averaged 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 35.4% from behind the 3-point line.

“She performed her best at the biggest moments,” Gottlieb said. “I thought she really throughout the course of the year learned how to dominate and empower the others.”

Watkins, with her signature "JuJu bun" hairstyle, is already one of the top draws in the sport with endorsement deals to match, and seeing her in person has become a hotter ticket.

The Trojans’ average home attendance rose to 5,932 this season from last year’s 4,421. Celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, Jason Sudeikis, Michael B. Jordan and Sanaa Lathan, who starred in “Love & Basketball,” one of Watkins’ favorite movies, have shown up. The year before she arrived, attendance averaged 1,037.

“It's hard to miss Snoop Dogg in his custom JuJu jacket,” Gottlieb said. “This happened organically and authentically. She decided to stay home and cares about her city and has the magnetism to attract people. It's the way she carries herself. She's confident, but very humble and true to her community. It's amazing to see her impact.”

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.