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Jazzy Davidson Calls Out The WNBA's 'Outdated' Player Eligibility Rules
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- Jazzy Davidson Calls Out The WNBA's 'Outdated' Player Eligibility Rules
The 2027 WNBA Draft lottery will be held in a few days, at which point we'll know which team will get to draft USC superstar JuJu Watkins – but not until after the 2026-27 college basketball season. Watkins has had to wait a lot longer than many have felt she's needed, which hasn't sat well with her teammate, Jazzy Davidson.
In an interview with Front Office Sports' Baker Machado , Davidson said that she felt the WNBA rules are "a little bit outdated." However, she still feels that gaining experience through playing in college and getting a college education still has value.
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"I definitely think that the eligibility rules right now are maybe a little bit outdated," she said. "But there is something to say in the college experience in my opinion. I love the NCAA, I love college sports. I love going to school here at USC, getting an education, forming those relationships with my teammates. So, yeah, I'd have to think more on that, but it's hard for me to say."
JuJu's Dominance
Watkins demonstrated basketball superstardom as a freshman, earning consensus first team All-American honors after averaging a whopping 27.1 points per game for the Trojans and leading them to the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years. The team went on to finish ranked No. 5 in the nation after the 2023-24 season.
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But due to the WNBA eligibility rules, she wasn't even close to being eligible. Nevertheless, she had another incredible year during the 2024-25 season, finishing the year as the winner of the AP Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, John R. Wooden Award and the Dawn Staley Award. She led USC to another Elite Eight appearance and another No. 5 ranking.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 07: JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans reacts after a play during the second half of the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament against the Indiana Hoosiers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 07, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The USC Trojans won the game 84-79. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Injuries kept Watkins off the court for the 2025-26 season and USC wound up only reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finished the season unranked.
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But with Watkins set to return this season, USC is the preseason No. 3 team in the country – the highest ranked team in the Big Ten.
As for where Watkins will go, the top odds for the top overall pick are likely to be shared by the Toronto Tempo or the relocating Houston Comets (formerly the Connecticut Sun). The Chicago Sky, Seattle Storm, Portland Fire, Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury also have odds to get that top pick.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Oct 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
