Watch DeRozan throw ‘gems’ to USC’s Watkins during offseason workout Originally appeared in NBC Bay Area Sports
Once a Trojan, always a Trojan.
That certainly rings true for new Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, who spent one season at USC before becoming a six-time NBA All-Star.
Even 15 years later, DeRozan hasn’t forgotten where he came from, as he was seen again at his old hangouts sharing some advice with USC sophomore guard JuJu Watkins during an off-season workout on Thursday.
Kings assistant coach and Former NBA player Doug Christiedefensive specialist, was also part of the training.
Watkins later re-shared the video on her Instagram Story, writing, “I was dropping gems!”
DeRozan, 35, came into the league as a high-level attacker and developed into one of the most skilled mid-range scorers in the game.
After stints with the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and most recently the Chicago Bulls, DeRozan joined the Kings this summer via a sign-and-trade deal.
And from an established star to one on the rise, DeRozan is sharing her experience with Watkins, who broke the record for most points scored by a freshman in Division I women’s college basketball history with 920 points in the 2023-24 season.
She also broke USC’s single-season scoring record and the school record for most 30-point games by a freshman.
Watkins’ game already has a lot of similarities to DeRozan’s. She’s a high-volume scorer with a true shooting percentage of 51.3%. And with mentors like DeRozan, her path can only get better from here.
Both DeRozan and Watkins are poised for big seasons this season with their respective seasons as they look to continue to represent USC well.