USC's offense ran through freshman star Juju Watkins in 2023-24, and why wouldn't it? Watkins proved to be an electrifying scorer despite her inexperience, taking the Trojans all the way to the Elite Eight.
Still, it was a lot to ask of a true freshman. Watkins attempted more than 22 shots per game, and her efficiency suffered at times without another intimidating scoring threat surrounding her. That problem might now be solved.
Former Stanford standout Kiki Iriafen is transferring to USC, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, giving the Trojans a nightly double-double threat after her breakout season with the Cardinal.
Here's what you need to know about Iriafen as she teams up with Watkins at USC.
MORE: Why Hailey Van Lith is joining TCU
Who is Kiki Iriafen?
Iriafen is heading into her senior season after three years at Stanford. She's a contender to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Unlike many of the top prospects in the 2024 draft, Iriafen wasn't at the top of her recruiting class. She was still a highly-regarded high school prospect, ranking No. 19 in ESPN's 2021 rankings, but Iriafen didn't burst onto the scene immediately with the Cardinal.
She averaged only 4.2 points per game as a freshman, coming off the bench in each game for Tara VanDerveer's squad. Iriafen continued to play limited minutes as a sophomore, though she managed to average 6.7 points over an average of only 12.1 minutes per night.
The leap many expected came with a larger role this past season, as Iriafen averaged a double-double with 19.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. She recorded 17 double-doubles, including a 20-20 game against Arizona State in February.
Iriafen entered the transfer portal after VanDerveer's retirement earlier in April, doing so with a "do not contact" tag that indicated she already knew her likely destination.
Iriafen is from Los Angeles and attended Harvard-Westlake School before committing to Stanford. A California product through and through, Iriafen is staying in-state with a USC program that aims to compete for a national championship.
Kiki Iriafen stats
| Season | School | Games | PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
| 2021-22 | Stanford | 33 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 57.1% |
| 2022-23 | Stanford | 35 | 6.7 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 53.1% |
| 2023-24 | Stanford | 36 | 19.4 | 11.0 | 2.3 | 54.6% |
| Career | 104 | 10.3 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 54.6% |
MORE: Why Juju Watkins wasn't eligible for WNBA Draft
USC projected starting five 2024-25
Here's a look at how USC's starting five could shake out next season:
- G Juju Watkins (So.)
- G Kayleigh Heckel (Fr.)
- F Kennedy Smith (Fr.)
- F Kiki Iriafen (Sr.)
- C Rayah Marshall (Sr.)
Because of continued player movement, USC's starting five remains very much in flux. Watkins, Iriafen and Marshall figure to be locked in, but how much the Trojans will rely on their top-ranked freshman class, including Kayleigh Heckel and Kennedy Smith, might be determined by how else the program fares in the transfer portal.
Oregon State transfer Talia von Oelhoffen is still a target for the Trojans, and her arrival at USC would give the starting lineup another veteran player after four years with the Beavers.
