JuJu Watkins Shines Light on Her USC Inspiration Cheryl Miller Ahead of March Madness Opening Game

Published 03/22/2024, 7:03 AM EDT

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It has been 4 decades since the legendary Cheryl Miller cut down the nets for two consecutive years for USC. While her playing career couldn’t take off after this success due to injuries, the 3x Naismith Player of the Year continues to enlighten aspiring ballers in their quest for greater heights. It would not come as a surprise that the talented Trojans guard JuJu Watkins is also one of those athletes who see Miller as their holy grail.

A month after surpassing Miller’s 39-year-old record for most 30-point games in a season, Watkins has now opened up on what the USC icon means to her. While the dominant 6″2′ baller was not even born when Miller rose to greatness, Watkins believes her to be the inspiration behind her winning streaks. In an interview with Andscape, JuJu sat down with the legend to give us some Trojans House insiders.

But before that, she also talked about her dream with the Trojans. The All-Pac-12 Team player said, “Just thinking of how much she (Cheryl Miller) was able to accomplish in her team. I think that just understanding the history here. Wanting to kind of revive that in a sense and create a new era here at SC was really important to me. I aspire to do at least some of the things that she was able to accomplish.”

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The freshman also discussed her life as an Angelino baller getting into USC. She has heard stories about ‘The Women of Troy’ and the legacy that Cheryl & her team left with the Trojans. JuJu Watkins also reflected on how she would look at the banners daily and imagine what replicating the history of Southern California University would be like.

Miller applauded JuJu for her accomplishments at a young age, despite the pressure and attention her games brought to her. In fact, Cheryl Miller is not the only popular face that Watkins has brought to the USC games.

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JuJu Watkins fixating all the eyes on herself

There is a long list of names that want to watch JuJu play. Some of them include legends like LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, and A’ja Wilson. She has not only escalated the way the Trojans play but also the overall level of the competition. She has also brought in the famous comedian actor Will Ferrell for her games. Additionally, analysts like Stephen A. Smith are also fans of this 18-year-old women’s basketball sensation.

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Undeniably, the drive and vision that JuJu has for basketball is uncanny. With many believing her to be the successor of Caitlin Clark and a talisman for the Trojans, Watkins has become must-watch TV. Hearing that she idolizes one of the best ballers of her time — Cheryl Miller — only hints at what a person and athlete she is.

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Written by:

Srashti Sharma

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Srashti Sharma is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, known for her in-depth researching skills. From the very first time that she heard about Kobe Bryant, she herself cultivated a Mamba Mentality. She loves the competitive nature of the sport which fuels her inner sportswoman.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth