Women’s basketball is gaining a visible momentum amongst basketball fans. WNBA stars have slowly caught up with their NBA counterparts, with college athletes further outgrowing the popularity limited to the league. College hoopers like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese stand as prime examples, having stirred the community unlike ever before. Now with both declaring for the 2024 WNBA draft, one wonders who the next women’s college basketball superstar could be.

The answer could very well be Juju Watkins. The 18-year-old has attracted the likes of LeBron James, Vanessa Bryant, and Kevin Hart to flock to watch her games. The presence of these names would make any teenager star-struck. And JuJu Watkins is no different, specifically with The L-Train, a frequent visitor.

During the latest episode of Podcast P, Watkins revealed that it always gets crazy when LeBron comes to watch her play. She said, “I’m a big LeBron fan. So anytime he comes, it’s crazy.” Watkins further revealed that most of her teammates fangirl when celebs like LeBron and Kevin Hart show up to their games and it’s only natural with the skill set she adorns.

The California native decided to represent USC in college basketball after a tremendously successful high school career with Sierra Canyon. Expectations placed on Juju Watkins were exceedingly high, and she not only lived up to them but exceeded them as well. In her freshman season, Watkins helped USC to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament where they lost to the UConn Huskies. Nevertheless, she managed to average 27.1 points (only behind Caitlin Clark), 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 34 games for the USC Trojans.

Throughout the period, LeBron James has often made an encouraging appearance online and in person. Due to this close bond, many fans have speculated about their familial connection, however, that’s not the case.

The reason behind JuJu Watkins’ close ties with LeBron James

The reason behind JuJu Watkins’ close relationship with LeBron James could be Bronny aside from the fact that they are both represented by Klutch Sports Group. Both Watkins and Bronny represented Sierra Canyon during their high school careers. Furthermore, both were named McDonald’s All-American in 2023 at the same ceremony. Apart from that, both Watkins and Bronny decided to represent the University of Southern California for their collegiate career.

Due to this bond built over shared instances with Bronny, Watkins has even visited King James’ house in LA. During her visit, the 18-year-old played a pickup game with the Bronny, Bryce, and LeBron, followed by a candid conversation. LeBron has constantly supported Watkins during her freshman season with the USC Trojans, once even declaring her the National Player of the Year.

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King James shared a post in December last year and added the caption, “I don’t wanna just hear Freshman of the Year Talk. National Player of the Year too. She’s the one.” However, Watkins couldn’t manage to lead the Trojans past the Elite Eight stage of this season’s NCAA tournament despite her incredible individual performance. Despite her loss, LeBron congratulated her by posting a story on his Instagram handle, with captions reading, “Congrats and proud of you!”

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