Why JuJu Watkins Is the Next NCAA Women's Basketball Star to Watch

JuJu Watkins has become a household name. Watkins, a shooting guard for the University of Southern California and the daughter of two college basketball athletes, broke multiple records in her freshman season. She was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for a total of 12 times, surpassed Lisa Leslie's 30-point game record, and beat Clark's NCAA freshman scoring record, leading the Trojans to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in decades. And just recently, the Best Breakthrough Athlete at the ESPYs.

Watkins has also managed to monetize her name, image, and likeness (NIL) through numerous food and beverage and fashion deals. According to On3, her NIL is valued at $417K. As a ball player with a full student course load and multiple brand deals to juggle, you might wonder how Watkins keeps it all straight. During the season, the star typically starts with a 7 a.m. weight workout, before attending a slew of school classes until 1 p.m. The afternoon is filled with training sessions, more classes, and tutoring sessions. "By the time I get home, I'm very ready to call it a night and get some much-needed rest," Watkins tells PS of her daily agenda. When it's time to do it all again and hit the court, Watkins relies on her go-to game-time ritual. "I prepare for games mentally by taking a few deep breaths and listening to my favorite tunes to help me relax and center myself," she says.

As the media, fans, and other players continue to look at Watkins as the next big thing to further women's basketball, she remains humble. "I think there are always others and there are so many great players in college basketball," the six-foot-two star says. "My peers are a talented group, glad to be a part of that conversation, but honestly, I don't think I hold any sole responsibility for it, cause there's so many ways to distribute that."

That said, Watkins is as much a fan of the game as she is a future catalyst, having looked up to WNBA players like Candace Parker since she was a child. This year is particularly exciting though, she tells PS. With the rise in interest and investment in the the WNBA, Watkins is finding new ways to lean into her superfandom, collaborating with Meta AI, a tool found within Instagram, Facebook, and more, that provides fans with facts, stats and the latest trends of their favorite players, women's sports and the league. "It can be used for new fans and old fans to build more traction and give them another eye into the sport that they love," Watkins shares. Meta AI can also give fans insight into training regimens, custom nutrition plans, and other in-the-know information. "The impact and accessibility of Meta AI for young, aspiring athletes — especially from under-resourced communities is unmatched," Watkins adds.

The rising star has always been passionate about lending a hand to the younger generation of basketball fans and giving back to her community. "I hold my community so dear to my heart. They pour so much into me to help me become the person I am, so any time I am able to help my community and younger girls who are aspiring to be on the same stage as me, I take it," the athlete shares. "Last season we were able to give buses to schools to come watch us play — I think that representation is everything. They see someone from their community have dreams and accomplish them no matter where they come from, that is really important to me."

In terms of life outside of basketball and school, the shooting guard believes in setting up boundaries and making time for her family and friends. "I try to squeeze in my alone time as much as I can, go shopping or watch a movie with my friends. I try to make time for it as much as possible and say no to something so I can carve that time for myself," she says. And because she attends USC, in her Los Angeles hometown, she's able to still meet up with her close circle and achieve a high level of success in her craft — something that wouldn't have been as easy at an out-of-state school. "Honestly, I think home is where the heart is, the teammates and coaches are great. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't go to USC," Watkins tells PS. "Every time I step out on the court with my teammates, with my coach, I know they have my back — it's one of the most comfortable feelings when there's so much being thrown at you, during the game, on and off the court."

Aside from basketball, Watkins has a keen interest in beauty and fashion, sharing OOTDs and wishlists with her 926K Instagram followers. "I definitely want to do something in the beauty industry, cause I think that translates on and off the court," Watkins adds.

For now though, Watkins is focused on watching and contributing to the growth of women's sports "The NCAA has made significant strides by investing more in women's sports," alluding to how women athletes are noticed and in higher demand than ever before. "It's great to witness the 180-degree change and how the culture has evolved for the better. I'm happy to be a part of this positive change," she says.

Natasha Marsh is a freelance writer who writes about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Prior to freelancing, she held styling staff positions at The Wall Street Journal, Burberry, Cosmopolitan Magazine, British GQ, and Harper's Bazaar.