Snoop Dogg’s JuJu Watkins jacket goes viral

Snoop Dogg made a bold statement courtside during the USC women’s basketball game against Notre Dame on Saturday, donning a custom jacket featuring Trojans star JuJu Watkins. The rapper and longtime USC fan was one of several celebrities at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, where the No. 3 Trojans took on No. 6 Notre Dame.

The jacket, emblazoned with Watkins’ name and picture, quickly garnered attention both in the arena and online. The viral moment highlighted the growing excitement surrounding USC women’s basketball and its star Watkins. The program was revitalized under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Watkins, a second-year guard and one of the most touted players in the country, has been a key player in the program’s resurgence.

Despite star power on and off the court, USC suffered a 74-61 loss to Notre Dame, which was its first loss of the season. Watkins led the Trojans with 24 points, including 10 in the third quarter, but her efforts weren’t enough to overcome a strong defensive performance from the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo stole the spotlight with a standout performance, posting 24 points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals.

The game was attended by several high-profile personalities, including actors Michael B. Jordan and Jason Sudeikis and WNBA players Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink. However, Snoop Dogg’s outfit has been at the center of discussions on social media.

USC women’s basketball sees room for improvement after loss to Fighting Irish

The loss highlighted areas of improvement for USC, including turnovers and shooting consistency. Gottlieb acknowledged the team’s difficulties and emphasized the need to build on lessons learned from the game as they prepare for challenges ahead.

“You don’t plan this game thinking anything is going to be a 40-point win,” Gottlieb said of how she and Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey worked together to plan the game, according to Los Benjamin Royer Angeles reports to Times. “You plan it because you have the opportunity to have a great crowd, play well and get a signature win at the start of the season.

“Or you’ll be exposed.”

Facing a strong Notre Dame defense, Watkins remained optimistic despite the result.

“It’s a learning experience for all of us,” she said. “We know what we have to work on to get better.”

USC will look to bounce back at the Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Desert and faces key matchups against Oregon and UConn.