Once a Trojan, always a Trojan. That mantra holds true for DeMar DeRozan, the newly minted Sacramento Kings forward, who spent one pivotal season at USC before embarking on a decorated NBA career, highlighted by six All-Star appearances.
Despite the passage of 15 years, DeRozan hasn’t lost touch with his roots. He was recently spotted back on USC’s campus, imparting wisdom to the university’s rising star, sophomore guard JuJu Watkins, during an offseason workout.
The session also featured Kings assistant coach and former NBA defensive stalwart, Doug Christie.
D e m a r pic.twitter.com/r5zES1NTsa
— Ben Hustle (@BenHustle4) August 22, 2024
JuJu Watkins, clearly inspired by the experience, later shared a clip of the workout on her Instagram story, captioning it, “Was dropping gems!!!”
At 35, DeRozan remains a force in the league, having evolved from a high-flying dunker into one of the game’s premier midrange scorers. His journey has seen him play for the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, and most recently, the Chicago Bulls before joining the Kings this summer through a sign-and-trade deal.
Now, DeRozan is paying it forward, sharing his wealth of knowledge with Watkins, who set a new record for the most points scored by a freshman in Division I women’s college basketball history, amassing 920 points during the 2023-24 season. Watkins also shattered USC’s single-season scoring record and established the school record for the most 30-point games by a freshman.
With a game reminiscent of DeRozan’s, Watkins is a volume scorer boasting a 51.3 true shooting percentage. With mentors like DeRozan in her corner, her trajectory appears bound for greatness.
As both DeRozan and Watkins gear up for their respective seasons, they continue to carry the Trojan legacy with pride.
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