The NBA has long been a league of debates, LeBron vs. Jordan, Curry vs. Magic, Shaq vs. Hakeem. Now, with Women’s basketball rapidly growing in popularity after Caitlin Clark was selected as the first overall pick of the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, similar conversations have started to dominate the women’s game.
One of the biggest debates brewing right now? USC guard JuJu Watkins vs. Caitlin Clark. And according to a former NFL MVP, Watkins is the better player. However, he also pointed out a critical factor holding her back from achieving Clark’s level of superstardom.
JuJu Watkins’ Double-Edged Sword Personality
In the latest episode of his 4th & 1 podcast, former NFL quarterback Cameron Newton boldly stated that Watkins is superior to Caitlin Clark in terms of talent. But despite her skills, she lacks one crucial element: rivalries. Newton explained that players like Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson draw more views because they have embraced the “bad girl” persona, creating storylines and tension that fans can’t resist. Meanwhile, Watkins and Paige Bueckers are seen as the “good girls,” which, in Newton’s eyes, has made it harder for them to generate the same level of excitement and ratings.
“JuJu is a better athlete than Caitlin Clark. Rivalries equate to ratings. The thing about Juju, the thing about Paige is that they are not bad. They are good girls. Caitlin Clark is a good girl. Angel Reese and Falujae Johnson, they embraced bad. There’s nobody in women’s basketball right now in college sports who has embodied that bad,” said Newton during the podcast.
Why isn’t JuJu Watkins getting the same media love as Caitlin Clark?@CameronNewton thinks she’s actually the better player — but she’s missing one thing: a rivalry the media can obsess over pic.twitter.com/ELJJ9L5Orw
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) March 24, 2025
Newton’s argument is rooted in the undeniable impact of rivalries on viewership. Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson used to have a good camaraderie under Kim Mulkey at LSU, which led to them winning the 2023 National Championship. However, since Reese joined the Chicago Sky last year as the 7th overall pick, their relationship has not stayed the same with Johnson’s mom once even snubbing Reese.
“Yeah, me and Angel, we aren’t as close as we used to be,” said Johnson in an exclusive interview with New York Post Sports.
Watkins, on the other hand, hasn’t had a true rival. Despite being a dominant freshman at USC, she hasn’t been part of the heated on-court storylines that bring in massive audiences. This was evident in USC’s December 21st matchup against UConn, which became the second most-watched women’s college basketball game with 3.8 million viewers behind only Clark’s game against Ohio State in which she she set the NCAA scoring record. The Iowa vs Ohio State game reportedly had 4.42 million viewers tune in.
Despite the numbers favoring Clark in terms of attention, Newton’s claim about Watkin’s superiority on the court isn’t without merit. As a sophomore, she’s averaging over 24.6 points per game while also contributing on both ends of the floor. Moreover, Watkins recently crossed Clark’s two-year point total.
The USC Guard scored 1,684 points in 65 games, while Clark was able to achieve 1,662 points in 62 games with the Iowa Hawkeyes in two years.
However, while Watkins may have the skill set, she still has a long way to go to match Clark’s impact on women’s basketball. The Indiana Fever point guard holds the record for the most career points in women’s NCAA history with 3,951 points and to achieve this feat Watkins still has a long road ahead. Even Newton gave his flowers to Clark for being such a great player.
“JuJu is a better athlete than Caitlin Clark, that’s not saying Caitlin Clark ain’t good because she is f**king phenomenal. She has been what the game is missing and I love that for her,” added Newton during the podcast.
In the end, the basketball world watches with bated breath. Will Watkins embrace the challenge and create her own path to stardom? Or will she remain in the shadows of more controversial figures? Only time will tell. However, did you know that the Fever star recently reached out to Watkins with an offer?
Clark Recently Offered Help to Watkins
Clark has made a name for herself not only as a record-breaking scorer but also as a mentor to young athletes. There have been numerous instances where the Fever has extended her support to Watkins however the recent offer comes on the topic discussed by the NFL veteran Newton.
In an exclusive interview with Yahoo Sports, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb revealed that Clark reached out to Watkins, offering her wisdom on managing expectations and the spotlight. When asked about Clark’s outreach, Watkins admitted she hadn’t responded yet but expressed her gratitude.
“I haven’t yet reached out. Maybe. I mean, just to know that I have that support, it means a lot… She’s just a super dope person and for her to do that, that means a lot,” said Watkins (as per Yahoo Sports).
Now, as Watkins gears up for her second March Madness, she’ll have Clark’s words in mind as she continues to make her own mark on the game.