Juju Watkins, Isaiah Collier had amazingly similar weeks for USC basketball

Juju Watkins and Isaiah Collier made parallel journeys in their national showcase games. The news is great for #USC.

Juju Watkins and Isaiah Collier have a lot in common. They are both No. 1-ranked recruits. They’re both entering the USC basketball program this year. They are both in a position to significantly increase and elevate the national profile of USC hoops.

They created more similarities and parallels at the McDonalds All-American Game on Tuesday.

Collier showed why he is the No. 1 men’s basketball recruit in the nation, scoring a game-high 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting and knocking down two of his four attempts from 3-point range, a main weakness in his game. He drew lots of fouls, collected three rebounds, had two assists, and showed his two-way prowess with two steals and a blocked shot.

Juju Watkins was presented with the Naismith Player of the Year Award at Sierra Canyon High School in Brentwood (Calif.). She also won state and national Gatorade Player of The Year honors.

Watkins, just like Collier, delivered a 25-point performance in the women’s version of the McDonald’s All-American Game in Houston on Tuesday night. Like Collier, Watkins was a co-MVP of the game.

It’s such an exciting time to be a fan of USC basketball. If these two players continue to live — and play — up to the hype they have generated, the Trojans will have highly-seeded teams at next year’s NCAA Tournaments, men and women alike.

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