Juju Watkins tops the list of Southland’s best girls’ basketball players

Much attention has been paid to the talent surge in high school among boys’ basketball players helping fuel the success for UCLA, USC and Oregon State. Well, now it’s the girls’ turn, because this year’s group of high school players should one day make a similar impact at the collegiate level.

At Los Angeles Windward, all eyes are on sophomore Juju Watkins, considered the No. 1 player in the nation for the class of 2023.

“She should just go straight to the WNBA,” Windward coach Vanessa Nygaard said jokingly.

Yet by 2023, who knows how good Watkins might be.

Throughout the pandemic, Watkins’ family elected to keep her home training individually rather than traveling to other states because of safety concerns. She wanted to play in games, but the individual training might have turned out to be a smart decision.

“It was tough for me mentally,” she said. “I started to feel a little self-conscious about coming back and not being ready. For me, it was working on my mental game and practicing and working on the stuff I need to improve from last year.”

During an outside practice session, it was clear the 6-foot Watkins had already improved on one part of her game — using her left hand. And she had plenty of motivation. She saw a sign during the playoffs last season, “She can’t go left!”

“That lit the fire,” Watkins said.

The 15-year-old has increased her strength and physicality. She already was considered a trendsetter for her versatility and ability to play any position on the court.

“She’s one of those once in a lifetime kind of talents you just don’t see,” Nygaard said.

Watkins was The Times’ player of the year in 2020, averaging 21 points and nine rebounds. This year, her high school season is likely to end at the end of May whether there are playoffs or not because a top priority is participating in tryouts for the USA under-16 national team. If she makes the team, she’ll get to represent USA in the FIBA Americas U-16 championships June 20-27 in Santiago, Chile.

Watkins is going to receive plenty of competition this season for top individual honors.

There are two Stanford-bound players poised to have their best seasons — 6-3 Brooke Demetre from Santa Ana Mater Dei and 6-3 Kiki Iriafen from Studio City Harvard-Westlake.

Clarice Akunwafo is a 6-6, USC-bound senior from Rolling Hills Prep who averaged 20.1 points and 12.7 rebounds as a junior. Rayah Marshall, another USC signee, averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds for Lynwood.

Corona Centennial has one of the top five teams in Southern California featuring point guard Londynn Jones, a junior transfer from Corona Santiago.

Sophomore Chloe Briggs from Ontario Christian led the state in scoring as a freshman, averaging 33.8 points.

Daisa Mitchell, a 5-11 junior at Etiwanda, had a 28-point playoff game as a sophomore.

Sierra Canyon freshman MacKenly Randolph and Izela Arenas.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Chatsworth Sierra Canyon has two standout freshmen in MacKenly Randolph and Izela Arenas, both of whom had fathers play in the NBA.

As for teams, the usual contenders are back — Mater Dei, Windward, Centennial, Etiwanda, Harvard-Westlake, Fullerton Troy, Fullerton Rosary and Sierra Canyon.

Whether there are playoffs or not — a decision is coming by April 13 — the quality of talent in the girls’ game is something to behold.

Watkins has embraced her growing recognition as a special talent. Sports Illustrated named her the 2020 SportsKid of the Year last fall. She’s welcoming any and all autograph-seekers.

“It’s an honor,” she said.

Windward is still waiting to play its first basketball game, so the question is what kind of player Watkins has become.

“I have no doubt she’s gotten better,” Nygaard said.

Be careful about waving signs at her. She not only reads them but likes to prove them wrong.