When is Juju Watkins eligible for the WNBA Draft?

Juju Watkins has become one of the brightest stars in women's college basketball. But fans will have to wait a little longer before they get to see her jump to the WNBA.

By Ian Levy | 10:58 AM EST

Jan 12, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) on the bench before the start of a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

It didn't take long for Juju Watkins to establish herself a force to be reckoned with. In her very first game for USC, the 6-foot-2 wing dropped 32 points on 11-of-18 from the field, adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a win over then No. 7-ranked Ohio State.

That debut was merely a launching pad as she scored 30 or more in five of her first seven games and finished the season averaging 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Along the way she picked up the national scoring title, multiple freshman of the year awards, an All Pac-12 selection, an All-American first-team selection and led USC to as high as No. 3 in the AP Poll, their first tournament win in 18 years and a slot in the Final Four.

As a sophomore her per-game numbers are down slightly but she's shown dramatic improvement in her shooting efficiency and decision-making and USC is once again an inner-circle National Championship contender.

Juju Watkins is a star but she won't be eligible for the WNBA Draft until 2027

The WNBA rules state that to be eligible for the WNBA Draft a player must have graduated college or have turned 22 in the same calendar year. Because of that, Watkins won't be eligible until the 2027 WNBA Draft, unless she's somehow able to graduate early. That means she'll likely have two more season after this one to chase national championships, scoring titles and potential challenge some all-time records at USC.

The WNBA will look very different by the time Watkins arrives — countless stars may have changed teams, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will be entering their fourth seasons and there will be at least two more expansion teams (Portland and Toronto) in addition to the brand new Golden State Valkyries who begin play this season.

The league will also have a new collective bargaining agreement in place and with 15 teams, up from 12, it's possible that rules will have changed for the WNBA Draft Lottery. Regardless of who lands the No. 1 pick in 2027, Watkins will likely be in the mix. However, she'll be arriving with an extremely deep class that could include Mikaylah Williams, Madison Booker, Hannah Hidalgo and more.

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