Elle Duncan

Everyone wanted you. Why not go team up with UConn? Why not go to South Carolina? And she was so adamant that her entire goal... was to, in her own backyard, make basketball relevant again, to make that USC program a powerhouse like it was in the early 90s, before she was born. She wasn't born when Lisa Leslie was doing what she was doing at USC.

Everyone wanted you. Why not go team up with UConn? Why not go to South Carolina? And she was so adamant that her entire goal... was to, in her own backyard, make basketball relevant again, to make that USC program a powerhouse like it was in the early 90s, before she was born. She wasn't born when Lisa Leslie was doing what she was doing at USC.

And when we talked with Lindsey Gottlieb last year at the Final Four after they lost to UConn in the Elite Eight, I was like, I know that you knew Juju was a prize, but did you know that she would get your program here this quickly? And she was like, no.

And when we talked with Lindsey Gottlieb last year at the Final Four after they lost to UConn in the Elite Eight, I was like, I know that you knew Juju was a prize, but did you know that she would get your program here this quickly? And she was like, no.

i didn't know it would happen so fast you know like she thought it would take some time and maybe some transfers that would get them there um and she has made like i've talked to la friends who are like la is buzzing with basketball at a college level right you're always gonna have the lakers and sometimes the clippers but at a college level like with ucla being a powerhouse again and with usc and juju she's the face of basketball and she is

i didn't know it would happen so fast you know like she thought it would take some time and maybe some transfers that would get them there um and she has made like i've talked to la friends who are like la is buzzing with basketball at a college level right you're always gonna have the lakers and sometimes the clippers but at a college level like with ucla being a powerhouse again and with usc and juju she's the face of basketball and she is

She has strapped that city on her back, and they love her so much for everything that she's done. I mean, USC has become, you know, the place to go watch games. We see every super megastar. We just saw Jaden Daniels there. It's just incredibly disappointed to see it go down like this. You know, you lose on the court, you get out battled, fine.

She has strapped that city on her back, and they love her so much for everything that she's done. I mean, USC has become, you know, the place to go watch games. We see every super megastar. We just saw Jaden Daniels there. It's just incredibly disappointed to see it go down like this. You know, you lose on the court, you get out battled, fine.

But, like, to see their chances suffer greatly because of what happened is just... It just can't come up with a better way to.

But, like, to see their chances suffer greatly because of what happened is just... It just can't come up with a better way to.

So I do think they can beat K-State. We talked about this yesterday. Like, what does this USC team look like without Juju? Because they haven't had to experience that. She averages 35 minutes a game. So they basically play five minutes a game without her. And so I do think it's going to force. I mean, listen, it's still USC. Like, they still have Talia Van Olhoffen, who transferred there.

So I do think they can beat K-State. We talked about this yesterday. Like, what does this USC team look like without Juju? Because they haven't had to experience that. She averages 35 minutes a game. So they basically play five minutes a game without her. And so I do think it's going to force. I mean, listen, it's still USC. Like, they still have Talia Van Olhoffen, who transferred there.

Kiki Iria-Fenn, who you mentioned, had. a career high. And I do think that there was definitely a galvanizing sort of moment for them yesterday and having her back. We heard Lindsey Gottlieb talk about that.

Kiki Iria-Fenn, who you mentioned, had. a career high. And I do think that there was definitely a galvanizing sort of moment for them yesterday and having her back. We heard Lindsey Gottlieb talk about that.

But ultimately, like, to be honest with you, Jess, like, I didn't think that USC was going to get past UConn with Juju, just because, like, if you've watched UConn play the last two games, like, I'm not sure anybody's going to beat UConn if they keep playing that way. But I do see them getting to an Elite Eight. It just obviously changes... the entire scope of that matchup if Juju's not in it.

But ultimately, like, to be honest with you, Jess, like, I didn't think that USC was going to get past UConn with Juju, just because, like, if you've watched UConn play the last two games, like, I'm not sure anybody's going to beat UConn if they keep playing that way. But I do see them getting to an Elite Eight. It just obviously changes... the entire scope of that matchup if Juju's not in it.

They're going to have to lean on everybody else, but she's going to be national player of the year for a reason. And we saw what happened for UConn when Paige was out. I do think really quickly too, though, like life sometimes is really interesting.

They're going to have to lean on everybody else, but she's going to be national player of the year for a reason. And we saw what happened for UConn when Paige was out. I do think really quickly too, though, like life sometimes is really interesting.

the ironic symmetry of on a day that Paige Beckers played her last game in stores and tied a career high after what she's been through and her devastating injuries too, that we then see the same exact thing happen to Juju. Like it just, I hope that that is in some way inspiration for Juju that you can suffer these really great setbacks, but then you can, you can come back better than ever.

the ironic symmetry of on a day that Paige Beckers played her last game in stores and tied a career high after what she's been through and her devastating injuries too, that we then see the same exact thing happen to Juju. Like it just, I hope that that is in some way inspiration for Juju that you can suffer these really great setbacks, but then you can, you can come back better than ever.