USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins has etched her name in women’s college basketball history, surpassing Caitlin Clark’s record for the fastest Power 5 player to reach 1,000 career points. Watkins, now a sophomore, reached the milestone in just 38 career games, achieving the feat during a game against Santa Clara on November 15, 2024. She hit a two-point jump shot in the third quarter to reach 1,000 points, breaking Clark’s previous record of 40 games.
Watkins’ achievement highlights her rapid rise in the sport. During her freshman year, she averaged 27.1 points per game, finishing second in the nation behind Clark, who averaged 31.6 points. The 6-foot-2 guard was a unanimous All-American in 2023-24, and she has continued her strong play into the 2024-25 season, averaging 21.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in her sophomore campaign.
Clark set the previous record during her sophomore season at Iowa on January 2, 2022, in a win over Evansville. Other notable players to achieve the 1,000-point mark quickly include Kelsey Mitchell (41 games) and Chennedy Carter (44 games).
While Watkins may face a tough challenge in matching Clark’s total career points record of 3,951 (set in 2024), she’s certainly on pace to continue breaking records as she progresses through her college career.
