Candace Parker already had JuJu Watkins in a WNBA conversation before Watkins played a minute this season. Watkins is back from a season-long injury, and her last active college season was 23.9 points per game with the Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award. On a recent episode, Parker brought Watkins into a discussion about her path to USC and asked Tina Thompson which aspects of her game could translate to the professional level.

The discussion took place during the episode of Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston, where Parker was joined by Hall of Famer and USC alumna Tina Thompson.

“She obviously has another year of eligibility, or she could have come out this year. She’s a LA kid, Sierra Canyon, ended up going straight to USC. What would you say about JuJu’s game that translates to the WNBA so well?” Parker said in the Post Moves clip. 

The exchange shifted the discussion from Watkins’ background to her potential at the professional level, leaving Thompson to assess which aspects of the USC guard’s game could translate to the WNBA.

This was not the first time Parker had discussed Watkins’ professional future. In August 2026, while analyzing the Los Angeles Sparks’ trade of Kelsey Plum, Parker explained how the move could improve the franchise’s chances of drafting Watkins in 2027.

“The Sparks are increasing their chance of potentially getting Juju Watkins, keeping her in LA,” Parker said, according to HerSportsNation’s report.

Her comments focused on draft strategy rather than a detailed assessment of Watkins’ playing style.

JuJu Watkins Returns to USC After Season-Long Absence

Before her absence, Watkins appeared in 33 games during the 2024-25 season, totaling 789 points and averaging 3.4 assists per game. Her scoring and playmaking helped establish her as one of the nation’s leading college players.

That momentum paused in March 2025, when USC announced that Watkins sustained a season-ending injury during the 2025 NCAA Tournament. In September 2025, USC confirmed that she would miss the entire 2025–26 season to focus on her recovery from that injury. Stepping back onto the floor after a full season away makes her senior-year return a pivotal moment for both Watkins and the Trojans.

Even after missing the 2025–26 campaign, Watkins enters 2026-27 as one of college basketball’s headline stars. Earlier this month, she was named the 2026-27 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and a 2026-27 Preseason AP All-American. Watkins returned to competition in USC’s exhibition against California, scoring 18 points in 23 minutes as the Trojans edged the Golden Bears, 78-76, in an exhibition.

Parker’s comments outlined Watkins’ eligibility and path from Sierra Canyon to USC, while her question invited Thompson to assess which aspects of Watkins’ game could translate to the WNBA. Across two active college seasons, Watkins has recorded 1,709 career points. In 2024-25, she also averaged 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

As Watkins begins her senior season, her award-winning college résumé and return to competition have renewed attention on her professional future. Her performance in 2026–27 will offer another opportunity to evaluate the skills she could bring to the WNBA. Which aspect of Watkins’ game do you think will translate best when she eventually makes the jump to the WNBA?