JuJu Watkins Hasn’t Reached Out to Caitlin Clark Yet — But Says ‘It Means a Lot’ WNBA Star Offered Advice (Exclusive)

The USC basketball star tells PEOPLE how she’s preparing for March Madness

USC basketball star JuJu Watkins is getting ready for her second March Madness tournament.

And last week, as the 19-year-old sophomore prepared along with her team for the big dance, Watkins’ coach Lindsay Gottlieb revealed that WNBA star Caitlin Clark offered to “help her navigate” college basketball stardom.

Watkins — who already surpassed Clark in point totals through their sophomore seasons — tells PEOPLE it “means a lot” to have Clark’s support.

“I haven’t yet reached out,” says Watkins, while speaking about her new partnership with Degree. “Maybe. I mean, just to know that I have that support, it means a lot.”

The USC basketball star adds that she’s a “big fan of” Clark’s and she’s enjoyed seeing the Indiana Fever guard “killing it” in her first WNBA season. “I’m always proud and cheering her on,” says Watkins.

“She’s just a super dope person and for her to do that, that means a lot,” she says of Clark’s offer. “But I haven’t reached out yet.”

uJu Watkins attends the 2024 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre on July 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California; Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever walks the orange carpet during the 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend at Phoenix Convention Center on July 18, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona

Juju Watkins (L); Caitlin Clark.Frazer Harrison/Getty; Alex Slitz/Getty

Watkins notes that coach Gottlieb is “one of the main reasons” she plays for USC. “Just because she’s so honest and she doesn’t sugarcoat things with me,” she says. “We’re super tight.”

And although Watkins is close to breaking additional NCAA records, she says the team “definitely comes first and everything else after.”

USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) looks on during a women's college basketball game between the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins on March 1, 2025, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA.

USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) looks on during a women’s college basketball game on March 1, 2025, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles

Watkins has little time between basketball, school and business these days. But it’s not all work — the college athlete says she recently found time to attend a Tyler, the Creator concert. “I’ve been a long time fan,” she says of the rapper.

In addition to partnerships with Nike and Nyx, she’s now the face of Degree deodorant, a brand she says is “part of my everyday routine” and one that aligns with her values. “It was an authentic decision process…I was eager to do it, especially knowing their investment in women’s sports,” says Watkins.

Needing deodorant? Relatable. Breaking NCAA basketball records? Not so much. Still, Watkins says she’s a pretty normal college kid at the end of the day. “I like to be home a lot…I like to just chill on the couch,” says Watkins, a new dog mom to a Frenchie.

“I’m a big show person,” says Watkins. These days, she’s enjoying Severance on Apple+ and though she’s “not the biggest fan” of the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus, she’s still tuning in.