USC’s Kennedy Smith and Jazzy Davidson Selected to Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List
October 30, 2025 | Women's Basketball
Trojans honored as two of the top players in the nation as the 2025-26 season gets underway.
LOS ANGELES – USC women's basketball sophomore Kennedy Smith and freshman Jazzy Davidson are in line for top college hoops honors, as both were selected to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List presented by AXIA Time.
Now in her second season at USC, Smith has developed into an on- and off-court leader for the Women of Troy, who enter their second season in the Big Ten and won the conference's regular-season title earlier this year. Honored with a place on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season, Smith was instrumental in driving the Trojans to the NCAA Elite Eight, where she earned a spot on the NCAA Spokane Region 4 All-Tournament Team. In all, Smith averaged 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game along with a team-best 2.2 steals per game last season. She also knocked down 37 threes for the Trojans during her freshman campaign. After helping USC's squad reach the NCAA Elite Eight as a freshman, Smith was called up to the U.S. National Team, where she helped Team USA win gold at the FIBA AmeriCup.
Davidson, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025 by ESPN, earned Naismith All-America First Team honors in her senior season at Clackamas High in Oregon. She was a McDonald's All-American, 2025 Naismith Trophy High School finalist and a four-time Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year. Davidson has won three gold medals as a member of Team USA, competing at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, 2024 FIBA USA 3x3 World Cup and 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup. She also was a member of the 2025 USA Nike Hoop Summit Team.
Three Trojans have won the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy a total of five times - JuJu Watkins (2025), Lisa Leslie (1994) and Cheryl Miller (1984, 1985 and 1986). Four Trojans were named to the 2024-25 watch list last season as Rayah Marshall, Kiki Iriafen, Talia von Oelhoffen and the eventual 2025 winner Watkins all received preseason nods.
USC will officially open the 2025-26 season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 4, when USC takes on New Mexico State at 7 p.m. at the Galen Center.
Now in her second season at USC, Smith has developed into an on- and off-court leader for the Women of Troy, who enter their second season in the Big Ten and won the conference's regular-season title earlier this year. Honored with a place on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season, Smith was instrumental in driving the Trojans to the NCAA Elite Eight, where she earned a spot on the NCAA Spokane Region 4 All-Tournament Team. In all, Smith averaged 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game along with a team-best 2.2 steals per game last season. She also knocked down 37 threes for the Trojans during her freshman campaign. After helping USC's squad reach the NCAA Elite Eight as a freshman, Smith was called up to the U.S. National Team, where she helped Team USA win gold at the FIBA AmeriCup.
Davidson, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025 by ESPN, earned Naismith All-America First Team honors in her senior season at Clackamas High in Oregon. She was a McDonald's All-American, 2025 Naismith Trophy High School finalist and a four-time Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year. Davidson has won three gold medals as a member of Team USA, competing at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, 2024 FIBA USA 3x3 World Cup and 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup. She also was a member of the 2025 USA Nike Hoop Summit Team.
Three Trojans have won the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy a total of five times - JuJu Watkins (2025), Lisa Leslie (1994) and Cheryl Miller (1984, 1985 and 1986). Four Trojans were named to the 2024-25 watch list last season as Rayah Marshall, Kiki Iriafen, Talia von Oelhoffen and the eventual 2025 winner Watkins all received preseason nods.
USC will officially open the 2025-26 season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 4, when USC takes on New Mexico State at 7 p.m. at the Galen Center.
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