They say you can’t scroll two swipes without seeing USC in the headlines, and honestly, they’re not wrong. Especially when the Trojans’ freshman-sophomore duo is out here, making headlines just like any other day. Today, the spotlight is on Kennedy Burke, the Gatorade California State Player of the Year, who just punched her ticket to the 2025 USA AmeriCup squad. After breaking records for the Trojans with JuJu Watkins, Smith is ready to break them internationally once again. After winning gold with Team USA at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup, she will be competing with them in Santiago, Chile, from June 28 to July 6.

There couldn’t have been a better pick for the opportunity. She gracefully filled in for USC when JuJu Watkins was sidelined because of a season-ending knee injury in her team’s second-round NCAA Tournament game against Mississippi State. USC associate head coach Burns also had only praise for Smith after that. She said, “In 40 years of coaching, I’ve never had a freshman have the defensive IQ that Kennedy has.” She continued to add, “A lot of freshmen can look like Kennedy: big, strong, quick, powerful. But they have so much to learn. She is three frames ahead.”

Coach’s words spoke loudly, but JuJu Watkins’ recent Instagram story was even louder. She did not shy away at all from hyping up her on-court better half after being selected for the AmeriCup Team. Watkins re-shared the announcement from @uscwbb’s official handle. And she dubbed it with her own stamp of approval “🫡🫡🦅🦅 (USA’s National flag emoji) lets gooo.”

After all, when a freshman rises like this, especially after holding it down in a postseason spotlight, every team member needs to stand up and salute. So, of course, Coach Lindsay Gottlieb had to jump on the bandwagon, too. “Kennedy. Smith. So dang proud. Great roster- go,” she wrote on X, with an emoji of the American flag.

Also, honestly, would you expect anything less from the duo that fans have dubbed “Team Full Doppelgangers.” Ever since college basketball Twitter has seen Watkins and Smith side by side; they have not been able to get over the uncanny resemblance between the two. They are really similar, both in how they look and how they play. It just feels like different years, same wavelength.

However, there is still a gap in their stats, and Smith will be looking forward to closing it after this stint with the USA team. Moreover, from this point on, she just cannot stop. In 2023, Brazil took home the AmeriCup crown, but this year, Team USA is coming in with a score to settle. Joining Kennedy Smith in the hunt for redemption are standout names like Hannah Hidalgo, Flau’jae Johnson, and Olivia Miles, all vying to bring the trophy back to the red, white, and blue.

And she has to return better than ever to propel her team to the NCAA title, to bring their program to the top, 40 years after Cheryl Miller did. And considering that JuJu might miss some, if not all, of the next season, she will again have a weight to carry. But she has learned from the best teammates. As JuJu said, “I would say my favorite has been Kennedy Smith… just to see how her game has evolved within that short amount of time and seeing how mature she is on the floor. I’m definitely excited to join forces with her and win a championship”.

Well, whenever that does happen, it is going to be a treat. After all, it is not without reason that every top program in the W is already eyeing Watkins.

Is JuJu Watkins Already Outpacing Caitlin Clark?

JuJu raced through her first two seasons like she was late, piling up 1,684 points in 65 games, leaving Clark’s 1,662 points in 62 games behind. Sure, she played three more games, but that only makes her leap even more impressive, like running an extra lap and still breaking the finish line first. She now sits just behind Kelsey Mitchell for most points across the first two seasons. Watkins also set the record for most points as a freshman (920) in 34 games, while Clark had 799 in 30 of them. JuJu also became the fastest Power Five player to score 1000 points, a record previously held by Clark.

These stats are exactly what led Cam Newton, NFL quarterback, to make a bold claim. “JuJu is a bigger baller than Caitlin Clark,” Newton said on his 4th & 1 YouTube channel. “The statistics say what everybody needs to know. JuJu is a better athlete than Caitlin Clark.” According to him, JuJu doesn’t just have a shot at some of Clark’s records. Rather, she’s got the team, the pace, and the swagger to absolutely smash them.

But here’s the thing. Records are meant to be broken and in a women’s sport, it is much more a sign of growth than merely competition and threat. Watkins is more than Clark and Clark is more than just being a record-setter. What JuJu does is a compliment for Clark, who redefined the game. And what Caitlin does is an act of motivation for JuJu who is on her path to do the same.