JuJu’s Working Hard Towards a Better Two-Handed Game

How USC’s JuJu Watkins is improving amid her ‘summer of LA stardom’

Watkins is honing her left hand in workouts with trainer Phil Handy after having minor surgery on her right hand

USC women’s basketball player JuJu Watkins reacts after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the Angels and Dodgers on June 22, 2024, at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
USC women’s basketball player JuJu Watkins reacts after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the Angels and Dodgers on June 22, 2024, at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)

Luca Evans (OC Register)  —  LOS ANGELES — The festivities slowly cleared Thursday morning on the track at Hollywood High, and JuJu Watkins had begun to walk off from one Los Angeles engagement in the direction of another, pausing and turning as somebody cried her name.

The signal came from a gaggle of tweenage boys, peering through the other side of a fence back by the field. Watkins was just a few steps from the exit, a morning complete after making an appearance at a youth skills clinic and announcing a Gatorade-sponsored donation to the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. But they caught her attention – “JuJu, can we get a picture?” – and the 18-year-old USC sophomore broke into a wide smile, waving the group over for a selfie.

She left a minute later, and the boys fell on one another in glee, clutching the lucky phone as if it was the Golden Idol.

That night, she’d head to the Dolby Theatre for an appearance at the ESPYS, nominated for “Best Breakthrough Athlete” off a year that captivated her hometown and tuned the world into a rising face of women’s basketball. She gifted Travis Scott a USC jersey in April, threw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium in June, and sat courtside at a Sparks game on Tuesday. The local appearances have been a whirlwind, her brand expanding even as her center of gravity rests squarely in Los Angeles.

All well and good. She has smiled. She’s waved. She’s enjoyed the ability to “diversify herself,” as she told the Southern California News Group on Thursday. It just isn’t Watkins, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb emphasized, at her core.

“She’s always trying to get better,” Gottlieb said, “and she’s doing that even in the midst of the summer of L.A. stardom.”

Watkins broke into tears after USC’s season-ending loss to Connecticut in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last spring, an opportunity she felt “slipped through her fingers,” as longtime trainer Phil Handy described. She picked up working with the former Lakers assistant coach as soon as the Lakers’ season ended in late April, trying to continue developing her handle and ability to read the floor.

Shortly into the offseason, though, plans were altered. Watkins underwent surgery on her right hand, Handy told the Southern California News Group. It was a minor procedure, simply to clean up a lingering issue that dated to her high school days. But the rising sophomore, for more a month, has been unable to use her right hand.

It wasn’t going to keep her out of the gym, as Gottlieb said. And ever since, she and Watkins have joked the surgery was – in a sense – a blessing.

“I was really eager to just work on my left (hand),” Watkins told the Southern California News Group on Thursday, sitting on a bench on Hollywood High’s field. “So throughout the whole process, I was just telling myself, like, ‘You need to work on your left anyways. So might as well take advantage of the situation.’”

For more than a month of individual workouts, yes, Watkins and Handy have exclusively worked on developing her left hand. Handy didn’t disclose details of the focus, or specific drills. But Watkins was well aware, after a freshman season putting up 27.1 points per game and seeing most every defense a college basketball team could throw at her, that teams would gear up to force her left. Her go-to-move in transition, a left-to-right crossover into a right-handed attack, didn’t quite shake as many defenders down the stretch; she shot 37% from the floor after the start of Pac-12 play on Dec. 30.

And she “opened up her palette” in the offseason, as Handy put it, to be elite with both hands. Part of the necessary development, Gottlieb said, was building confidence in her left hand – finishing, getting to a pull-up jumper, passing with her off-hand.

“The biggest thing is, it won’t matter where the defense tries to send her … ‘You try to send me left, send me right, doesn’t matter,’” Handy said. “‘I’ll be able to execute and dominate with both hands.’”

Watkins still hasn’t been fully cleared to use her right hand. She’s starting to get annoyed, she smiled Thursday, limited at the moment to standing with Gottlieb and watching team three-on-three workouts. But the procedure, Watkins, acknowledged, was a sign of sorts.

“We’ve joked, like, ‘Now when you have two hands again,’” Gottlieb said, “‘watch out.’”

ocregister.com

___________

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John Weld
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Noble Genius
John Weld
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July 17, 2024 5:27 pm

At the SEC media days, Saban predicted that Georgia and Texas were the two best teams in the SEC and they would be playing for the SEC championship.

PN4SC
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PN4SC
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July 17, 2024 1:10 pm

I don’t think there is a fan among us who wasn’t disappointed in how things went off the rails last year. My opinion of Riley is not nearly as glowing as it was just last year. He certainly has a lot to prove this year, and every move he makes will be heavily scrutinized. But Finebaum’s rant was way over the top. Fire him last year? Really? He goes thru DC’s like mad? I wish that was true, because Grinch would have been kicked to the curb sooner. All his best players are jumping ship? So I guess SC is… Read more »

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
July 18, 2024 10:46 am
Reply to  PN4SC

Misinformed or bias defender of the SEC. Fire Harbaugh 2 years ago, good for the SEC. Fire Riley and Day, good for the SEC.

trojandn
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trojandn
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July 17, 2024 10:34 am

Watched some ESPN this morning with “Mad Dog Russo” and Paul Finebaum arguing about Lincoln Riley. What’s up with Paul…I know that Finebaum is a SEC hack but my, he seems to have a personal grudge against LR.

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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July 17, 2024 11:13 am
Reply to  trojandn

Finebaum is definitely SEC biased, who has his back as fans. But you notice most of his schoolboy mentality accusations/attacks are on ESPN which now is the SEC’s bag of money. ESPN is not doing as well financially & popularity wise and are no longer able to bully the industry as it used to. So like a Howard Stern whose schtick is to get people riled up, he is encouraged to sound off in getting attention in the social media World. The worst thing that could happen to Finebaulm is no one pays attention to him anymore. And that is… Read more »

2manyyears
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2manyyears
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July 17, 2024 7:14 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I am re-posting what I said about this goof back in June Gentlemen please do not get your shorts in a knot over what Paul Finebaum says. He is an SEC honk who pledged loyalty to the dark lord, Nick Saban, years ago and has been his mouth piece for years. He went to school at Tennessee and yet if you look at his history (try Wikipedia) all of his big “success” has been writing about Alabama. Never says much about his alma mater. Seems telling to me. He hates anything not SEC. He has also said repeatedly that Ryan… Read more »

2manyyears
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2manyyears
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July 18, 2024 10:38 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Excellent points as always Allen. My final thought is how can you take anyone seriously who looks like a cartoon character who was put together with spare parts.

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
July 18, 2024 10:43 am
Reply to  2manyyears

Stick on the mustache, it’s Mr Potato Head! 😂

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
July 18, 2024 11:35 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

“Brings ears to the sport…”. That he does, and in a big way!

Chris
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Chris
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July 17, 2024 9:18 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

That was a great interview. Excited to see Henny get to work.

Chris
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Chris
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July 15, 2024 11:58 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Speaking of all Gas, hoping we get good news later this week – Christian Gass is set to commit the 20th.

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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July 15, 2024 9:00 am

All these 2nd & 3rd place finishes on 5 & 4 star athletes committing should be telling LR plainly if he has any chance of flipping some, even if it’s only July today but it still makes an impression in their heads, USC needs have a better than expected record by the end of November or LR may be forced to go back to the Portal more than he wants and keep delaying the rebuild. It just hurts our pride to see so many, so so many California athletes turn their noses up on the State flagship college football program.… Read more »

Chris
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Chris
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July 15, 2024 11:19 am
Reply to  Jamaica

It hasn’t been fun but we will win some. Got one today!

Canyon
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Canyon
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July 16, 2024 7:41 am
Reply to  Chris

Chris, About 3 to 4 weeks ago, you replied to my post about LB’s for the 2025 class. I wrote Madden Faraimo was a ND strong lean. I came up with my statement going by 3 recruiting sites predictions. But, you replied Faraimo will be a Trojan 100%, guaranty. You’re a subscriber for a recruiting service right, how are you coming up with your prediction on Madden? Very curious and interested on your take… Cheers.

Chris
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Chris
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July 16, 2024 8:24 am
Reply to  Canyon

It was based on an interview I read. It sure seems like he really wants to stay home. We were super late to the game in his recruitment, no idea why? But now Entz is all over it. We dropped the ball big time, but have made up a bunch of ground. The longer the process goes, the better it is for us.

Canyon
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Canyon
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July 16, 2024 1:10 pm
Reply to  Chris

Chris, Thanxs for you reply and explanation. I still can’t understand how you predicted MF was 100%, guaranty to USC? Hmm, you seem positive on USC’s 2025 recruiting class.  One major area is LB’s. So far USC got a good verbal in Matai Tagoai, but he is a project and needs to put on mucho weight and strength. I say MT needs 2 solid years of development before he gets to play.   Calif. has these other top LB’s but failed to land them. Noah Mikhail = TxAM, Nasir Wyatt = Ducks, Marco Jones = TxAM and Madden Faraimo big lean to ND Plus, the out… Read more »

Chris
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Chris
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July 14, 2024 5:08 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Mark unknowingly walks right into the narrative. Kathy Ireland was a super model 35 years ago.

Chris
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Chris
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July 15, 2024 8:39 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Was just saying that the rest of college football thinks we live in the past and Mark walks right into it.

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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July 16, 2024 5:59 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I don’t care if she’s 61, I would take a run at Miss Kathy. Mmmmmm, resheads….

Canyon
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Canyon
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July 16, 2024 7:40 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Chris, About 3 to 4 weeks ago, you replied to my post about LB’s for the 2025 class. I wrote Madden Faraimo was a ND strong lean. I came up with my statement going by 3 recruiting sites predictions. But, you replied Faraimo will be a Trojan 100%, guaranty. You’re a subscriber for a recruiting service right, how are you coming up with your prediction on Madden? Very curious and interested on your take… Cheers.

Chris
Major Genius
Chris
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July 13, 2024 7:14 pm

I feel like the last positive fan left. I’m not feeling like the sky is falling. I think 2024 will be a really great year. I think we will finish top 10 in recruiting. I have reasons for both, not just blind faith.

Chris
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Chris
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July 13, 2024 9:14 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Sure. coaching. Riley is elite offensive mind. He hired proven coaches across the board on D. Massive upgrade. we face no elite QB’s. I think miller Moss will be as good or better than any we face. schedule is tough but in our favor – Mich and UW breaking in new staff and lots of roster turnover. We get Penn state and ND at home. LSU lost Heisman QB, so we are on equal footing there. All other teams we should beat. If we can go 2-3 against those 5, it’s a good year (8-4 or 9-3) . If we… Read more »

TrojanRJJ
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TrojanRJJ
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July 15, 2024 12:23 pm
Reply to  Chris

Chris, I have not been posting for a while. I am really busy and candidly I find the Board has taken a really negative turn. I am also positive about next year. The entire media has turned against LR. They have SC at reasonable best case of 8-4 and a reasonable probably case at 6-6. I think I am reading the remnants of the Grinch Narrative. I doubt that LR has sudden forgot how to coach O and I think the his new D staff is really good. I am really looking forward to next year. For the first time… Read more »

ATL D.D.S.
Noble Genius
ATL D.D.S.
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July 16, 2024 6:16 am
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

I hope you and Chris are correct, RJJ.

ATL D.D.S.
Noble Genius
ATL D.D.S.
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July 16, 2024 6:15 am
Reply to  Chris

I was in the positive camp with you, Chris, until lately. What has SC been sorely lacking the last two seasons? Elite units in the trenches (both sides) and really good LBs. Where are consistenly losing our recruiting battles? In these same areas. And with us heading to the conference of really big bodies, not just for a game or two, but for an entire season, I have doubts how well we will endure. Having said that, I have confidence that our new defensive coaching staff will find a way to do more with less. Overall, I want the Trojans… Read more »

ATL D.D.S.
Noble Genius
ATL D.D.S.
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July 13, 2024 12:29 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

LR is really becoming Uncle Huggs 2.0, if he isn’t there already. SMH.

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
July 13, 2024 2:18 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

That ’98 Tenn team was loaded on D and the O returned about everyone except Manning.

I’d love to see the ’24 Trojans do it, but aside from thelat tangential QB similarity, it’s a paper thin comparison.

You did well to debunk it.

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
July 13, 2024 2:30 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Allen nice summary of the ills of LR and USC football. LR’s Manning/Tennessee analogy to Williams/USC is pretty far off. Going from one superstar QB to the next is nice but it won’t win NCs. I do see what he might be trying to say is, sometimes it seems a team relies too much on the superstar, not giving their all, coaches included . Everybody now has to give 110% for the team to have a chance without the star. Of course if the whole team is not giving 110% that is on the HC.

Jamaica
Noble Genius
Jamaica
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July 13, 2024 5:28 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Allen you put things in a convincing fashion. LR just wasn’t going to bite the bullet in the first two years here and rebuild through HS recruitment. He didn’t have enough faith in the Trojan fanbase to understand what needed to be done to rescue a program that was sinking for 6 straight years. If he had told the press in the beginning, we need to start from scratch to rebuild this program the right way and accept the consequences until then LR would be more appreciated today. We knew what shape the football program was in. Give us a… Read more »

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
July 13, 2024 9:33 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

If this is real evidence in his lawsuit with the NCAA it could be good. Or is it a legal ploy to pressure the NCAA to settle?

TrojanRon
Noble Genius
TrojanRon
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July 13, 2024 2:51 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I just hope Sam breaks on top early on. The media is already touting JJ McCarthy as the eventual starter, but Sam can put the kibosh on that. Fight On Sam!

TrojanRon
Noble Genius
TrojanRon
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July 20, 2024 2:23 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Thank you for the update Allen!

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