Shannon Sharpe is never one to hold back his opinions, whether they are widely agreed upon or raise a few eyebrows. The outspoken ESPN personality and NFL Hall of Famer has built a reputation for delivering bold takes on the biggest topics in sports. On Monday, Sharpe turned his attention to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, offering a high-stakes prediction centered around one of the game’s brightest young stars—USC’s JuJu Watkins.
Watkins, a freshman sensation and projected No. 1 WNBA draft pick in the future, has been nothing short of electric all season. Her dominant play has propelled USC to a No. 1 seed in the tournament, positioning the Trojans as legitimate championship contenders. But in Sharpe’s eyes, the road to the title runs through one team in particular: the powerhouse South Carolina Gamecocks, led by head coach Dawn Staley.
“On the women’s side? I think it’s going to be a battle with a real USC stand-up,” Sharpe said. “Is it the Lady Trojans or the Lady Gamecocks? And if my brother went to the Lady Gamecocks, I’m going to take the Trojans in this one.”
Sharpe is putting his full confidence in Watkins to deliver in the biggest moments, predicting that the dynamic guard will have a historic tournament run. “I just think JuJu, she’s going to have an unbelievable tourney. She’s going to go on an unbelievable run. I think she cuts down the net this year,” Sharpe added.
Watkins’ statistics back up the hype—she’s averaging an impressive 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 42.6% from the field. Her ability to take over games and carry her team has been on display throughout the season, making Sharpe’s belief in her championship potential more than just wishful thinking.
However, winning a national title will be no easy feat. South Carolina has been a dominant force in women’s college basketball, boasting an elite roster and a proven championship pedigree. If USC wants to emerge victorious, Watkins will likely have to go toe-to-toe with the Gamecocks’ defensive juggernaut and lead the Trojans through a gauntlet of tough matchups.
The journey to a championship begins on Saturday when USC tips off against No. 16 seed UNC Greensboro at 3 p.m. ET. If Watkins and the Trojans are to prove Sharpe right, they’ll need to be at their best from the opening round all the way to the final game. Whether or not they can rise to the challenge remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—Sharpe is betting big on JuJu Watkins to shine on the biggest stage.
Watkins, a freshman sensation and projected No. 1 WNBA draft pick in the future, has been nothing short of electric all season. Her dominant play has propelled USC to a No. 1 seed in the tournament, positioning the Trojans as legitimate championship contenders. But in Sharpe’s eyes, the road to the title runs through one team in particular…
