Caitlin Clark’s throne at the top of school basketball historical past might quickly be historical past itself.
The 19-year-old JuJu Wakins, a sophomore at USC, is on tempo to smash most of the profession data Clark set at Iowa. Watkins has one-upped Clark’s collegiate begin as the most effective within the sport’s historical past up to now.
Clark holds the file for many profession factors scored in historical past, amongst each women and men gamers. But Watkins is on tempo to take that jewellery for herself, with 1,142 already in simply 38 profession video games. Clark took 40 video games to hit that mark.
In mid-November, Watkins crossed the 1,000-point marker two video games earlier than Clark as nicely. Watkins has persistently maintained the sting in scoring tempo since then.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Caitlin Clark reacts throughout the first spherical of the 2024 WNBA playoffs towards the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena. (Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images)
With 376 whole discipline targets, Watkins is on tempo to complete with a bigger whole than Clark in that statistic as nicely. Watkins had a staggering 301 whole discipline targets her freshman 12 months, whereas Clark had simply 266 as a freshman.
This season, Watkins leads the NCAA with a .476 discipline objective proportion. If she holds that quantity all through the top of the 12 months, it will likely be a greater discipline objective proportion than Clark ever had in a single season at Iowa. Granted, Watkins is just eight video games into the season.
The greatest distinction between the 2 gamers is scoring method. Clark is undeniably the higher 3-point shooter, holding the NCAA’s all-time 3-point file that Watkins is nowhere close to on tempo to touching. Watkins does most of her injury from throughout the arc, and is a greater finisher within the paint.
Watkins scored the overwhelming majority of her 920 factors her freshman 12 months off of a nation-leading 553 2-point photographs. The most 2-point photographs Clark ever made in a single faculty season was 359 her sophomore 12 months in 2021-22.
Playing so strongly within the paint has additionally put Watkins on the foul line at a historic tempo. Watkins leads the nation in free throws with 45 after main it as a freshman with a staggering 241. The most Clark ever achieved in a season was 239, and that wasn’t even till her junior 12 months in 2022-23.
INSIDE CAITLIN CLARK’S IMPACT ON MEN’S BASKETBALL
Southern California guard JuJu Watkins indicators autographs after a sport towards Cal State Northridge, Nov. 12, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Another crucial stat that Watkins has vastly outpaced Clark in up to now is steals. Watkins leads the nation with 22 by way of eight video games after 78 as a freshman final 12 months. The most Clark ever had in a season was 68, and that wasn’t even till her historic senior 12 months in 2023-24.
However, Watkins will probably not come near catching Clark in help numbers. Clark led the nation in assists yearly of her faculty profession, beginning with 214 in her freshman 12 months in 2020-21, practically double that of Watkins’ 112 as a freshman .
Unlike Clark, who grew up in suburban Iowa, Watkins was born and raised in Los Angeles.
Watkins says her greatest sports activities “hero” is Lakers star LeBron James, in keeping with her USC group web page. James got here to play for Watkins’ hometown Lakers within the 2018 offseason, simply two weeks earlier than Watkins’ thirteenth birthday.
And like LeBron James, Watkins has already represented the U.S. in worldwide competitors, having competed for the U.S. U16 and U17 nationwide groups. Watkins received gold medals with USC at 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup and 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, and even had a signature 28-point efficiency in a gold medal sport towards Canada.
Clark has not but competed in any worldwide competitions, having been famously snubbed from the latest U.S. ladies’s basketball group on the Paris Olympics this previous summer season.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins (IMAGN/Getty Images)
Watkins will not be eligible for the WNBA Draft till 2027. Her first season towards Clark will probably be that 12 months, when Clark is within the fourth 12 months of her profession.
One 12 months later, the Olympics will come to Watkins’ hometown of Los Angeles. Whether Watkins might be chosen for the primary Olympics she is eligible for will certainly be a subject of dialog. She would technically be one 12 months forward in her professional profession than Clark was when she was denied an Olympic spot.
It may be very doable they may very well be teammates collectively within the 2028 LA Olympics.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
