The Southern California star has quickly catapulted to stardom in women’s college basketball. JuJu Watkins suited up to play as a USC Trojans sophomore guard.
Inception and Secondary School Life
JuJu Watkins was born on July 15, 2005, in Los Angeles, California and grew up playing the sport of basketball. She went to Windward School and later Sierra Canyon School in the Los Angeles area. Watkins was one of the more highly recruited prospects in her senior season at Sierra Canyon where she earned national high school player of the year honors.
College Career at USC
Watkins had an instant impact during her freshman season at USC. JuJu Watkins scored a total of 920 points as a freshman in NCAA Division I history with an average of 27.1 ppg. She was a unanimous first-team All-American and winner of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award for her efforts. She also earned freshman All-American honours nationally.
Watkins’ expectations going into her sophomore season are high. The Big Ten preseason player of the year, again, this goes on with her continued development and still so much upside for her.
Recent Success and Support
Aside from her success on the court, Watkins has also landed many lucrative endorsement deals. Bard brought up her signing with Nike in October 2024 to a multiyear contract extension which, according to Ackerman, was among the biggest shoe deals for a female player ever. Just weeks later, she entered into a multiyear deal with Gatorade — cementing her status next to only the world’s most elite athlete icons. Such partnerships reaffirm her appeal and clout in the sports world.
Net worth and NIL valuation
Although exact numbers are not released for Watkins’ net worth, her name/image likeness (NIL) valuation has erupted. Her NIL value is about $200,000 as of March 2024. This valuation which is likely only gone up with her recent endorsement deals and success on the court has likely grown now that she has taken the rest of the collegiate athletics world by storm.
Impact on Other Womenshake Basketball Related*
Watkins’s success has made waves for women’s basketball. Her performances have helped raise awareness of the sport, inspire young athletes and increase interest in it. There are those who believe that, as she continues her career in the collegiate system, will do just that for women’s basketball.
Looking Ahead
But the spotlight will increasingly be on JuJu Watkins as the 2024-2025 season unfolds. With her talent, work ethic and sellability as a star in women’s college basketball, she is about everything. With that, analysts and fans alike await her next set of performances and the future effect she will have on the sport.
