Unlike the NBA, which has allowed NCAA athletes to leave college early to turn pro for more than 50 years, the WNBA restricts anyone in the U.S. from entering the draft before their birthday. 22 years old or graduate early.
Until recently, there wasn’t much discussion about whether the WNBA should copy the NBA’s approach. Now, an influx of nationally recognized talent like USC’s star sophomore guard JuJu Watkins has made the debate more intense. Watkins, who cannot go to the WNBA until 2027 under current regulations, said before facing UConn on Saturday night that changes must be made.
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“I definitely think we should have the option (to leave early),” Watkins said as a guest at the Good game with Sarah Spain podcast. “There’s been such growth in college basketball that you wonder, ‘Why would you want to leave?’ Because you can also have that experience and build your brand here at the university. I would definitely say we should have the option, but I think college is also a way to prepare for the pros. So, I don’t know. It is a delicate issue, but I am in favor.”
Watkins isn’t the only highly touted draft prospect playing in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday.
When the dynamic sophomore guard leads the No. 7 Trojans into battle against Paige Bueckers and the No. 4 UConn Huskies on Fox, it will be the rare occasion the two highest-profile stars in women’s college basketball face off against each other. yes in the regular season. , reminiscent of the height of the UConn-Tennessee rivalry during the 1990s and 2000s.
Bueckers can leave for the WNBA after this season, and would probably be the first general election—But you have the option of returning for 2025-26. He has history against Watkins.
They met in last year’s Elite Eight matchup (UConn won 80-73), and then both schools quickly scheduled a home series against each other, with Saturday’s game at Hartford’s XL Center kicking off the deal before the tournament. next season. at USC.
“There is something unique and special about a home series as it appeals not only to the national television audience, but also to the fan bases of the respective schools,” Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in a statement. in May. “UConn vs. USC, on each coast for the next two seasons, will challenge our players in a fantastic environment. What a great series to be a part of.”
The showdown in Hartford will give the country a glimpse into the future of the WNBA, creating a tradition that the star duo can carry into the pros.
Bueckers is the presumptive first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, apparently destined for the Dallas Wings unless she decides to return to Storrs for a sixth eligible year. (He gained extra years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a redshirt season after tearing his ACL in 2022.) If not for the W’s requirement that players have graduated within at least three years or turned 22 before the draft, Watkins herself could be considered for the first overall pick, as she has its impact about the sport been.
The ability to retain elite players for at least three years, and usually four, has apparently helped women’s college soccer build stars both on campus and across the country. With more eyes In sports now, fans are more willing than ever to pay top dollar to attend games featuring the best of the best.
JuJu vs. Paige is the best there is.
According to Victory Live, a secondary ticket market tracking company, the average resale price for the USC/UConn game is $127, the highest ever for a UConn home women’s basketball game. The previous record dates back to February 2023, when the Huskies hosted South Carolina. Resale prices for UConn women’s basketball at the XL Center were already on the rise, averaging $57 so far this season, an increase of $5 compared to the same period last season. However, Saturday’s match is more than double (223%, to be precise) the current average.
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