JuJu Watkins

JuJu Watkins is an American basketball sensation who has taken the women’s college basketball world by storm as a star player at the University of Southern California. Born on February 25, 2005, in Watts, Los Angeles, California, Watkins grew up in a community with deep basketball roots and quickly showed extraordinary talent on the court. She attended Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California, where she became one of the most decorated high school basketball players in the country, earning McDonald’s All-American honors and being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Watkins committed to USC and made an immediate impact during her freshman season in 2023-2024, breaking the program’s single-season scoring record and drawing comparisons to some of the greatest players in women’s basketball history. Her combination of scoring ability, athleticism, and competitive fire made her must-watch television, and she played a major role in the growing popularity of women’s college basketball. She set the NCAA freshman scoring record and became the face of USC’s resurgent basketball program under coach Lindsay Gottlieb.

Off the court, Watkins has capitalized on the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) era in college sports, signing endorsement deals with major brands including Nike, Beats by Dre, and Gatorade. Her marketability extends beyond basketball, as she has become a cultural icon for a new generation of women’s sports fans. Her social media following has grown rapidly, making her one of the most followed college athletes in the country.

As of 2026, JuJu Watkins’s net worth is estimated at approximately $3 million, a remarkable figure for a college athlete that reflects the transformative impact of NIL deals on college sports. With her professional career still ahead of her, Watkins is positioned to become one of the highest-earning women’s basketball players in history when she eventually enters the WNBA. Her combination of on-court excellence and off-court marketability makes her one of the most valuable young athletes in American sports.