JuJu Watkins has emerged as one of the most exciting sensations in all of college basketball. NBA players and fans alike have tipped their hat to him for her stellar play at USC.
However, it still feels like she’s somewhat overlooked. Recently, ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith called for people to start giving her the same treatment Caitlin Clark got.
With that in mind, Katie Lever of Awful Announcing doubled down on that comment by calling out the national media over the lack of coverage Watkins has gotten.
Analyst says JuJu Watkins is as valuable as Caitlin Clark
“It’s certainly not because Watkins’s brand lacks charisma or earning potential. This season, Watkins has been featured in numerous big-time ad campaigns from United Airlines to State Farm. She has a Funko Pop doll in her image, teamed up with LeBron James for a Nike commercial (in addition to the historic sneaker deal she signed with Nike and her appearance in a powerful Super Bowl Nike ad), and joined a Gatorade campaign alongside Jayson Tatum, Paige Bueckers, and Karl-Anthony Towns,” wrote Lever.
Lever believes that Watkins has been as valuable to multiple brands as Clark was during her college basketball days, so it’s hard to understand why the media coverage has been so different.
“In other words, as a sophomore, Watkins is just as much of a star both on and off the court as Caitlin Clark was in college, but inexplicably without the accompanying hype,” she added.
Lever then claimed that it wasn’t about comparing players, as both have the potential to be some of the greatest of all time. Instead, she wants the sports media industry to do better, and it’s hard to disagree with that statement.