JuJu Watkins has had an impressive start to her college basketball career, even surpassing Caitlin Clark’s point total through two seasons. However, when it comes to the all-time NCAA scoring record, the road ahead remains challenging. It’s worth acknowledging that Kelsey Mitchell, not Clark, still holds the record for most points scored in a player’s first two seasons. Watkins now ranks second behind Mitchell and has a chance to surpass her if USC makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. But even with her strong performance, keeping pace with Clark’s career numbers will require a significant scoring surge.
So far, Watkins has played 65 college games, slightly more than Clark’s 62 at the same point in her career. Their scoring averages are close—Clark averaged 26.8 points per game in her first two years, while Watkins currently stands at 25.9. However, one concerning trend is Watkins’ slight decline in scoring from her freshman to sophomore year, dropping from 27.1 points per game to 24.6. Meanwhile, Clark took the opposite trajectory, increasing her scoring output dramatically in her final two seasons. She posted 27.8 points per game as a junior before skyrocketing to 31.6 as a senior. This upward trend was critical in helping Clark set the all-time NCAA record of 3,951 points.
At this stage in her career, Watkins has accumulated 1,684 points, leaving her 2,267 short of Clark’s record. Based on her current scoring rate, reaching that milestone would require playing an unrealistic 88 more games. If Watkins wants to claim the top spot, she will need to not only play as many games as possible but also significantly increase her scoring average. Realistically, she would have to score around 28 points per game moving forward—a substantial leap from her current season average.
Given her talent, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Watkins improve her numbers with more experience and development at USC. However, breaking Clark’s record is a daunting challenge. Not only does she need to stay healthy and play a high number of games, but she must also elevate her scoring to an elite level. The margin for error is slim, and any dip in performance could make surpassing Clark nearly impossible.
While it’s too soon to count Watkins out, the numbers suggest that overtaking Clark’s record will be a steep uphill climb. If Watkins can increase her production and USC makes deep postseason runs, the goal remains within reach—but it won’t come easy.
