- Cheryl Miller helped the USC Trojans win the national championship in 1983 and 1984.
- Lisa Leslie was the 1994 Naismith Player of the Year and a four-time All-American.
- Cynthia Cooper won four consecutive WNBA championships with the Houston Comets.
The USC Trojans women’s basketball team won back-to-back championships in 1983 and 1984, making good on their short championship basketball betting odds.
Some of the best players in USC history helped the program maximize their NCAAW odds of winning games, but they also did some serious damage in the WNBA.
One of them helped a WNBA team win three consecutive championships. Where does she rank among the five best Trojans women’s basketball players of all time? Let’s find out.
5 Best USC Trojans Women’s Basketball Players, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Position | USC Years |
| 1 | Cheryl Miller | Forward | 1982-1986 |
| 2 | Lisa Leslie | Center | 1990-1994 |
| 3 | Cynthia Cooper | Guard | 1982-1986 |
| 4 | Tina Thompson | Forward | 1993-1997 |
| 5 | Juju Watkins | Guard | 2023-Present |
USC Trojans All-Time Greatest Women’s Basketball Players
1. Cheryl Miller
Cheryl Miller helped the Trojans win the national championship in 1983 and 1984, winning NCAA Tournament MVP both years.
She was the Naismith Player of the Year each year from 1984 to 1986, as she averaged 23.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game during her time at USC.
Cheryl is the sister of fellow Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who had an illustrious career with the Indiana Pacers, retiring as the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-point makes.
2. Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie was the 1994 Naismith Player of the Year and a four-time All-American.
She averaged 20.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 1.9 steals, and 1.7 assists per game during her four years at USC.
In 2001, Leslie was the first player in WNBA history to win regular-season MVP, the All-Star Game MVP, and the playoff MVP in the same season. She also helped the Los Angeles Sparks win championships in 2001 and 2002.
Leslie was the first player to ever dunk in a WNBA game.
3. Cynthia Cooper
Cynthia Cooper was a key contributor during USC’s championship runs in 1983 and 1984.
She averaged 17.2 points per game in her last season with the Trojans.
Cooper went on to win four consecutive WNBA championships with the Houston Comets (1997-2000), winning Finals MVP honours each time. She also won the regular-season MVP in 1997 and 1998 and was the league’s top scorer from 1997 to 1999, averaging north of 22 points per game each season.
4. Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson led USC to the NCAA Tournament three times, going as far as the Elite Eight in 1994.
She averaged 23.1 points on 50.7% shooting during the 1995-96 season.
Thompson was drafted No. 1 overall by Houston in 1997, teaming up with Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes to bring the franchise four WNBA championships. She was the first draft pick in WNBA history.
Thompson made four All-Star teams in the WNBA, winning All-Star Game MVP honours in 2000.
5. Juju Watkins
Juju Watkins has the record for the most points scored by a first-year women’s college basketball player, as she averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.6 steals per game, showcasing her all-around skillset.
Watkins followed that up by winning Big Ten Player of the Year honours in 2025.
She has a chance to become an all-time great in the WNBA once she reaches the league.
