Who will be face of WNBA in five years? USC's JuJu Watkins gets large share of vote in anonymous player poll

Watkins is not eligible for the WNBA Draft until 2027

USC star JuJu Watkins is still in the middle of her college basketball career, but WNBA players believe she could be the face of the league in five years. That's according to an anonymous player poll published by The Athletic this week.

"Just look at the presence she already has in college," an unnamed player told the publication.

There were a total of 39 respondents coming from all 13 teams, excluding rookies in order to get opinions from those who have been in the league longer. Players were not allowed to vote for their own teammates, but they were allowed to give multiple answers. 

Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark was the overwhelming favorite with 53.8% of the votes, while Watkins was second with 17.9%. 

With Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers among a recent crop of WNBA stars and JuJu Watkins on the way, it begs the question:

Who do players think will be the face of the league in five years?

Caitlin Clark is “clearly already a draw, and she still has room to improve.” pic.twitter.com/O9q29Wlkr0

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 15, 2025

Watkins was an interesting choice because she is only a rising junior in college and is expected to miss significant playing time next season due to a torn ACL she suffered during the NCAA Tournament. There is also the fact that due to WNBA rules, she is not even eligible for the draft until 2027.

That being said, the buzz around her has been undeniable for a few years. Watkins set the NCAA Division I freshman scoring record during the 2023-2024 season with a total of 920 points. Her impact also translated into more wins for Lindsay Gottlieb's Trojans, and she helped USC reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994.

She is a versatile player that can score at all three levels and guard multiple positions. In her first two college basketball seasons, Watkins scored more points (1,684) than Clark (1,662), who finished her incredible career at Iowa as the all-time NCAA DI leading scorer.

Whether or not she can break Clark's record is a conversation that has to wait until Watkins heals and gets back on the court. However, the future of the WNBA seems to be bright with so much hype around talented young players. 

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers finished third in the player poll with 14.1% of the votes. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, who is in the middle of her second year in the league, was in fourth place with a 6.4% result. The only veteran player in the top five was A'ja Wilson with 3.8% of the answers. Los Angeles Sparks' sophomore Cameron Brink and Seattle Storm rookie Dominique Malonga also received votes.