University Southern California Trojans
Photo by: Katie Chin/USC Athletics
October 29, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Trojan duo joins 50-player field on prestigious national player of the year preseason award list.
ATLANTA — USC guards JuJu Watkins and Jazzy Davidson have been named to the 2026-27 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday, October 29.
Watkins and Davidson are two of 50 players selected to the preseason watch list. USC is one of 12 programs nationally with multiple honorees and one of five Big Ten teams with two selections, joining Iowa, Michigan, UCLA and Washington. The Big Ten leads all conferences with 14 candidates, followed by the SEC with 12 and the ACC with 11.
The Naismith Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding player in women's college basketball. Watkins captured the award following the 2024-25 season, becoming the third USC woman to earn the honor, joining Trojan legends Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie.Â
Watkins returns to play for her senior season after missing the 2025-26 campaign due to injury. In her most recent season of competition, the Los Angeles native averaged 24.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while guiding USC to a Big Ten regular-season championship and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Watkins swept the nation's top individual honors that season, winning the Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year and Wade Trophy. She was also a unanimous Associated Press First Team All-American, joining Courtney Paris and Maya Moore as the only players in NCAA history to earn AP First Team All-America honors as both a freshman and sophomore.
Davidson enters her sophomore season following a decorated debut campaign in which she was named the USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year, WBCA NCAA Division I Freshman of the Year, The Athletic National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The Clackamas, Ore., native also earned All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Defensive Team and honorable mention All-America recognition from the Associated Press and USBWA after starting all 32 games for the Women of Troy.
Davidson is one of only six sophomores included on the watch list, while Watkins is one of 23 seniors selected. The USC duo is among 34 guards recognized nationally.
The list of candidates will be narrowed throughout the season before four finalists are announced in March. The 2027 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy winner will be revealed during the NCAA Women's Final Four. For more information on the Naismith Awards, visit naismithtrophy.com.Â
Watkins and Davidson have collected a growing list of preseason honors entering the 2026-27 campaign. Watkins was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, selected to the coaches' and media Preseason All-Big Ten teams and earned Preseason Associated Press All-America recognition. She was also named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list. Davidson joined Watkins on the coaches' and media Preseason All-Big Ten teams and was selected to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award watch list.
USC women's basketball officially open the 2026-27 season on Monday, Nov. 2 when the Trojans travel to Las Vegas to take on UNLV at T-Mobile Arena. The Women of Troy and Lady Rebels will clash at 1 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network.
For more information on the USC women's basketball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/WBB Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWBB on Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram.Â
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Watkins and Davidson are two of 50 players selected to the preseason watch list. USC is one of 12 programs nationally with multiple honorees and one of five Big Ten teams with two selections, joining Iowa, Michigan, UCLA and Washington. The Big Ten leads all conferences with 14 candidates, followed by the SEC with 12 and the ACC with 11.
The Naismith Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding player in women's college basketball. Watkins captured the award following the 2024-25 season, becoming the third USC woman to earn the honor, joining Trojan legends Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie.Â
Watkins returns to play for her senior season after missing the 2025-26 campaign due to injury. In her most recent season of competition, the Los Angeles native averaged 24.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while guiding USC to a Big Ten regular-season championship and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Watkins swept the nation's top individual honors that season, winning the Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year and Wade Trophy. She was also a unanimous Associated Press First Team All-American, joining Courtney Paris and Maya Moore as the only players in NCAA history to earn AP First Team All-America honors as both a freshman and sophomore.
Davidson enters her sophomore season following a decorated debut campaign in which she was named the USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year, WBCA NCAA Division I Freshman of the Year, The Athletic National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The Clackamas, Ore., native also earned All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Defensive Team and honorable mention All-America recognition from the Associated Press and USBWA after starting all 32 games for the Women of Troy.
Davidson is one of only six sophomores included on the watch list, while Watkins is one of 23 seniors selected. The USC duo is among 34 guards recognized nationally.
The list of candidates will be narrowed throughout the season before four finalists are announced in March. The 2027 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy winner will be revealed during the NCAA Women's Final Four. For more information on the Naismith Awards, visit naismithtrophy.com.Â
Watkins and Davidson have collected a growing list of preseason honors entering the 2026-27 campaign. Watkins was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, selected to the coaches' and media Preseason All-Big Ten teams and earned Preseason Associated Press All-America recognition. She was also named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list. Davidson joined Watkins on the coaches' and media Preseason All-Big Ten teams and was selected to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award watch list.
USC women's basketball officially open the 2026-27 season on Monday, Nov. 2 when the Trojans travel to Las Vegas to take on UNLV at T-Mobile Arena. The Women of Troy and Lady Rebels will clash at 1 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network.
For more information on the USC women's basketball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/WBB Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWBB on Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram.Â
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Players Mentioned
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