Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard, has taken the WNBA league by storm, bringing in a massive fan following. However, the 23-year-old point guard was a college basketball sensation as well, racking up nearly every honor the NCAA offers to women’s basketball players. Now, as a 2024 WNBA All-Star, she is gearing up for the upcoming season with the Fever under a new coach.
But Clark isn’t the only rising star making waves. JuJu Watkins, another basketball prodigy, is quickly scaling the heights of the NCAA, challenging the records Clark left behind. In the Big Ten Tournament title game on Sunday, March 9, against UCLA, Watkins put on a stellar performance, scoring 29 points and surpassing Clark’s total of 1,662 points in her first two seasons.
With 1,684 career points and counting, Watkins is proving that she could be just as big a star as Clark—if not bigger. As expected, the internet erupted with reactions, praising both Watkins and Clark as the future of women’s basketball.
Basketball Fans Applaud JuJu Watkins’ Record-Breaking Run
Although USC fell short against UCLA, losing 72-67 in their first Big Ten championship matchup, Watkins’ record-breaking achievement sent shockwaves through the basketball world. Many drew comparisons between Watkins and Clark, and fans flooded social media, anticipating an epic rivalry for years to come.
One fan summed up the excitement by comparing the Watkins-Clark duo to one of the most legendary rivalries in basketball history—Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
“WNBA IS IN GOOD HANDS. DAWG, JUJU AND CC GONNA BE A GREAT RIVALRY FOR DECADES TO COME, MAGIC AND BIRD TYPE SHI.”
WNBA IS IN GOOD HANDS DAWG, JUJU and CC GONNA BE A GREAT RIVALRY FOR DECADES TO COME MAGIC AND BIRD TYPE SHIII.
— summo_Su (@summo_su) March 10, 2025
But fans seemed to lean more toward JuJu, hoping she stays in college long enough to change the record books.
“Please stay till you break all that girl’s damn records, JuJu. The game needs you!!” one fan requested.
Please stay till you break all that girls damn records JuJu the game needs you!!
— That Boy (@ThatBoyRobear) March 9, 2025
However, even though Watkins is putting up historic numbers, some feel she isn’t getting the level of attention Clark received when she dominated college basketball. One fan voiced their concern, adding, “I feel like JuJu not talked about enough.”
Watkins was nothing short of sensational in her freshman season. She broke the NCAA freshman scoring record with 920 points last year. Still, some fans believe she isn’t as widely recognized as Clark.
“JuJu way better than Caitlin Clark. She would beat Clark easily one-on-one. JuJu looks like she can actually hold herself with some men’s teams in scrimmage. She’s got an inside and outside game, can finish in the paint, and hit the deep ball. Quick and athletic. But how come national media, SportsCenter, and X not losing their mind over JuJu like they did with Clark last year? Strange.”
Juju way better than Caitlin Clark. She would beat Clark easily one on one. juju looks like she can actually hold herself with some men’s teams on scrimmage. She’s got an inside and outside game. Can finish in the paint and hit the deep ball. Quick and athletic. But how come…
— Fresh Stringer (@FreshStringer23) March 9, 2025
Despite the comparisons, there’s no denying that both Watkins and Clark are set to be the faces of women’s basketball for years to come. Echoing the same sentiment, one fan added:
“She and Caitlin are going to be box-office stuff for the WNBA, not that other lady that overestimated her ability and profile.”
For now, Clark is preparing for the upcoming WNBA season, while Watkins continues her record-breaking spree at the college level. She is certainly poised to enter the WNBA with as much hype as Clark, and when these two heavyweights of women’s basketball meet on the court, it will be a true spectacle of skills and talents.