On a momentous Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Caitlin Clark found herself at the center of a celebration honoring her storied collegiate career. However, rather than solely bask in the spotlight, the Indiana Fever star took a moment to acknowledge another rising force in women’s basketball—USC’s JuJu Watkins, a player swiftly emerging as the next face of the sport.
Clark’s return to Iowa coincided with the Hawkeyes’ highly anticipated showdown against the No. 4-ranked USC Trojans, an event that culminated in a thrilling 76-69 upset victory for Iowa. The occasion was doubly significant as Iowa planned to retire Clark’s iconic No. 22 jersey postgame. During the third quarter, Clark made an appearance on the FOX broadcast, where she commended Watkins’ performance and acknowledged her undeniable impact on the game.
“I’ve had a few conversations with JuJu,” Clark noted. “I mostly observe from afar, but more than anything, I just try to be supportive. She doesn’t need my help—her talent speaks for itself. She’s an electrifying player, and as you can tell from our entire scouting report, it revolved around one name—Number 12. That says everything about the level of respect we have for her.”
In a heartfelt moment during her jersey retirement speech, Clark extended her well wishes to Watkins and the USC squad, further cementing the mutual admiration between the two stars. Watkins later reciprocated the sentiment, expressing her deep respect for Clark. “I’m a huge fan of hers, so witnessing her receive this honor is truly special,” Watkins remarked.
Clark, who concluded her collegiate career as the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer with 3,951 points, shattered numerous records before being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Meanwhile, Watkins has already etched her name into the record books, surpassing Clark’s freshman scoring total with an impressive 920 points. If her trajectory continues, Watkins could one day challenge Clark’s historic mark. As these two generational talents continue to carve out their legacies, the thought of them sharing the WNBA stage in the years to come is enough to send anticipation soaring.
