A Trojan horse remains a Trojan horse forever.
That’s certainly true for new Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, who spent one season at USC before becoming a six-time NBA All-Star.
Even 15 years later, DeRozan hasn’t forgotten where he came from, as he’s been seen back on his old stomping grounds sharing some advice with JuJu Watkins, rising USC sophomore guard during an off-season workout on Thursday.
Assistant coach of the Kings and Former NBA player Doug Christiea defensive specialist, was also part of the training.
Watkins later reshared the video on her Instagram Story and wrote, “I was dropping gems!!!”
DeRozan, 35, entered the league as a top-flight forward and has developed into one of the game’s most talented mid-range scorers.
After stints with the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and, most recently, the Chicago Bulls, DeRozan joined the Kings this summer via a sign-and-trade deal.
And from established star to rising star, DeRozan shares his expertise with Watkins, who broke the record for most points scored by a rookie in Division I women’s college basketball history with 920 points during the 2023-24 season.
She also broke the USC single-season scoring record and the school record for most 30-point games by a freshman.
Watkins’ game already shares many similarities with DeRozan’s. She’s a volume scorer with a 51.3 true shooting percentage. And with mentors like DeRozan, her path can only get better.
Both DeRozan and Watkins are poised to have big seasons this season with their respective seasons as they hope to continue to represent USC well.
