JuJu Watkins waxes poetic on March Insanity, 51-point recreation, and idolizing Candace Parker, Cheryl Miller, and extra on “Podcast P with Paul George”.
We share this week’s episode of “Podcast P with Paul George”, introduced by Wave Sports activities + Leisure, the place PG and the blokes are joined by USC girls’s basketball star, JuJu Watkins who displays on her breakout freshman season together with profitable the last-ever PAC-12 Championship recreation, getting her first style of the NCAA Event and the embracing the educational curve of collegiate hoops.
Later within the episode, Juju talks about gaining worthwhile recommendation from USC basketball legend Cheryl Miller on managing expectations on and off the courtroom.
She additionally appears to be like again on her 51-point recreation vs. Stanford and what it felt wish to be that locked in throughout a recreation.
Lastly, she additionally shares her admiration for Candace Parker and her aspirations within the leisure trade, significantly in appearing.
On the finish of the episode, JuJu flips the script and asks PG about pacing and recreation tempo the place he shares extra about his evolution as a participant.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- 7:39 – JUJU ON WINNING THE LAST PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
PG: “Should you needed to decide a second that stood out about this previous season, what would that be?”
JUJU: “I imply the 51 [point game] is simply insane. It’s simply insane. However moreover that I might in all probability say we received the PAC-12 Championship and it’s just like the final PAC-12 ever. In order that was one thing to go down within the books and to do this with my crew is absolutely cool.”
- 9:19 – JUJU ON HER FIRST NCAA TOURNAMENT AND TAKEAWAYS FOR NEXT SEASON
JUJU: “I feel the match– I imply it will get tougher as you progress extra on the road recreation plans turn into much more detailed and all people’s actually locked in as a result of one and finished. I might say so far as like, what’s being thrown at me on the defensive finish and stuff like that. I imply after all it will get tougher because the season progresses however for me, it was simply my first expertise so I simply didn’t actually know what to anticipate going into it and I suppose simply tried to take advantage of out of it. And actually take every little thing in and know what to anticipate for the following couple of years.”
- 11:33 – JUJU ON POTENTIALLY BEING SEEN AS THE NEXT FACE OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF CAITLIN CLARK, ANGEL REESE, CAMERON BRINK PAIGE BUECKERS AND OTHERS
DALLAS: “I’m positive you’re conscious of the recognition of girls’s basketball growing over the past a number of years and also you’re – particularly subsequent 12 months with Caitlin [and others] gone it’s gonna be all you. Do you’re feeling strain, is it thrilling? What’s that feeling like realizing you’re the face of Ladies’s School Basketball right here?”
JUJU: “Whoa. That’s a giant title. I wouldn’t be thought of the particular person I’m with out my competitors. The comp is every little thing. The conferences, the good groups. That’s actually what issues, who you’re taking part in that’s additionally a think about how nice you’re. So I wouldn’t say I’m doing it alone. There are nice groups and so many nice gamers and I’m glad I get to play in opposition to them.”
- 13:32 – JUJU ON THE CONVERSATIONS AND ADVICE SHE’S RECEIVED FROM CHERYL MILLER
JUJU: “I might say Cheryl Miller we’ve had nice conversations. She advised me to discover a secure house the place I can simply, you already know, be freed from all expectations…so [I’m] nonetheless engaged on that and simply ensuring I’m good, you already know? On and off the courtroom.”
- 15:06 – JUJU ON HER 51 POINT GAME AGAINST STANFORD: “YOU DON’T SEE DEFENDERS”
JUJU: “I feel I went on a loopy run the place I simply didn’t miss. And I don’t know– you already know, you simply within the zone.”
PG: “And we noticed it, and watching it stay, it’s like there’s nothing they will do along with her.”
JUJU: “You block out every little thing, you don’t see no defenders and also you simply begin capturing and making it…like zen.”
- 24:15 – JUJU SHARES HER IDOL IS CANDACE PARKER, RECALLS WATCHING HER
JUJU: “I might say [I idolized] Candace Parker, I grew up watching her [on] the [Los Angeles] Sparks and I simply fell in love along with her recreation and her versatility. I at all times say I attempt to apply that to my recreation, like attempt to make it extra versatile, get within the publish extra.”
- 33:34 – JUJU SHARES HER ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY ASPIRATIONS
JUJU: “I want I might do what Flau’jae does if I’m being actual. I don’t actually have bars like that. I might say leisure, yeah, possibly appearing. I really feel like stuff like that kinda comes pure to me than most. In order that’s at all times been cool, stepping outdoors of basketball and doing one thing totally different in that trade.”
- 37:32 – JUJU ASKS PG ABOUT WHEN HE STARTED TO SLOW THE PACE OF HIS GAME DOWN
JUJU: “I’m a giant fan of your tempo. Was that one thing you at all times had or when did you begin to sluggish the sport down?”
PG: “Truthfully, what modified for me, clearly, my first couple of years was constructed off my athleticism and simply feeling like I used to be invincible, I might run via a wall. Truthfully, I don’t assume I had tempo, it was all taking place naturally, simply being younger, being youthful, with the ability to fly round, leap out the health club, all of that stuff. It didn’t occur till after I obtained injured and I broke my leg and I sat out and watched the sport from the sidelines… It was nearly like I used to be taking part in mentally whereas watching from the sidelines. So once I got here again, that utilized to me now…that’s once I realized, I gotta be a little bit bit extra smarter as a result of I don’t have that burst proper now, I don’t have that fast step, I don’t have that athleticism proper now. So the sport actually slowed down for me. That’s kinda once I realized altering the tempo, learn how to play quick and decelerate… it was studying my cadence. I might say that was the largest leap for me on understanding to play at my tempo. Not to mention the crew’s tempo. The crew performs at a sure tempo…however when I’ve the ball, or if I’m in scoring alternatives, now the sport goes to be performed at my tempo.”