USC was flying high in the 2024-25 season. JuJu Watkins had firmly established herself as one of the best players in the country and was named National Player of the Year. This season, USC likely won’t be able to build on that success, as Watkins has to miss the season with a torn ACL she suffered towards the end of last season and Kiki Iriafen went to the WNBA. In Watkins’ absence, a new star should emerge.
USC landed Jazzy Davidson, the top recruit in the nation. Davidson seems primed to be a candidate for Freshman of the Year and a college star in the making. Without Watkins, Davidson will have plenty of opportunities to score and work with the ball. If she lives up to expectations and establishes herself as a star, USC will have an outstanding guard to build around even when Watkins leaves for the WNBA.
Under the current CBA, Watkins would be eligible to enter the draft in 2027. That would leave her only one season at USC after her injury. Watkins is not a player you replace easily, but if Davidson can emerge as a star it would make losing Watkins easier—during this season and in the future. Still, fans shouldn’t necessarily expect Davidson to follow Watkins’s rocket-like trajectory and single-handedly make up for the star’s absence. JuJu Watkins is a generational talent, and her success won’t be easily replicated.
Jazzy Davidson will have a big role right away
Making the transition from high school to college isn’t always easy, especially for freshmen who are immediately asked to take on a big role. Jazzy Davidson definitely falls into that category. She played a team-high 30 minutes in her debut against New Mexico State and led USC in field-goal attempts. Davidson finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, but her points didn’t come easily. She went 4-16 from the field and 0-7 from three.
As Davidson gets more comfortable in college, her efficiency should improve. When she played for the U.S. national team at the U19 World Cup, she only shot below 50% from the field once. That tournament is a big reason why Davidson is expected to have a big freshman season at USC.
Davidson averaged 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3 steals, and 1.4 blocks during the World Cup and was easily one of Team USA’s top players. She made the All-Tournament Second Team alongside Gal Raviv, Avery Howell, Nell Angloma, and Clara Silva. Davidson more than held her own against many of the best young players in the world, some of whom already have experience playing professionally.
That experience will help Davidson in her new role at USC as the program hopes to turn her into one of the top two-way guards in college basketball and another star to lead the program.