“I would say when I was like 11, I really had to talk with my parents [and tell them], ‘This is something that I really want to do.'” From the age of 11, JuJu Watkins, and convinced her parents to help her train. With her parents being collegiate athletes themselves, the USC star’s father trained her with fundamentals.

Currently in the race for the NPOY, the star guard never fails to give credit to her family and her community, who have helped her. Hailing from Watts, California, she has established herself as one of the finest names to touch the hardwood. Plus, she is already destined to be the overall #1 pick in the WNBA 2027 draft. So, let’s deep dive into Watkins’ origins and what keeps the superstar grounded.

JuJu Watkins and the reasons behind her success

Born to Sari and Robert Neal-Watkins on July 15, 2005, JuJu Watkins is super proud of his culture and heritage as an African-American person. The 19-year-old is a role model for kids of the ethnicity to pursue their dreams. What makes her story even greater is that when she was a high school junior, she signed with Klutch Sports Group. Thus becoming the first female athlete to be represented by the agency. The strong character-building comes from the strong foundation laid by the parents.

“My parents always instilled being humble in my character. That comes easy for me. They have never been regular parents, if I can be honest.”They have always been super serious about sports and always pushed me to be a better version of myself.” She continued, “I’m always thankful for them. They have stayed the same throughout my whole childhood, I would say.”

As stated before, JuJu Watkins hails from her hometown of Watts. She used to practice every day with her parents in the backyard or at the Watts gym, which is named after her great-grandfather. Ted Watkins Sr. was a civil rights activist in the 1960s, and also has a park in Los Angeles, California, named after him, called Ted Watkins Memorial Park. Two years ago, when she spoke about her talents, she gave a very humble answer promoting her faith.

“I don’t really know how to explain my talent because I do put in the work, but honestly, I think some things are just God-given talents.” At the time, she was creating waves with her time in Sierra Canyon, she would go on to become a five-star recruit. The 6 foot 2 guard rejected offers from South Carolina and Stanford and chose to commit to USC.

How the Trojans’ star guard continues to grow her legacy

JuJu Watkins made a triumphant debut and scored 32 points as she delivered on her hype instantly. Her motive to play for USC was pretty simple to restore a legacy in her hometown, and that’s why she did not want to join a perennial contender. When she decided to don the threads of the Trojans, she became the first Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year to choose USC since Lisa Leslie in 1990.

Another comparison quickly arose when she burst onto the NCAA scene, many compared her to the then-NCAA Queen: Caitlin Clark. A few months ago, ESPN insider Shams Charania stated about the sophomore guard and her groundbreaking Nike deal. “USC sophomore phenom JuJu Watkins has agreed on a multiyear contract extension with Nike that will give her one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women’s basketball.”

The first deal she signed with them was in 2022, alongside CC and Bronny James. During her freshman year, her exploits helped the team reach the Elite Eight in the national championship, the farthest the program has reached in the last 30 years. At a young age, when she is already a superstar, JuJu Watkins already thinks about giving back to society.

“Whenever I do brand partnerships or have conversations about potentially partnering, I want to make sure that whatever we do, it somehow ties back to Watts.” The star guard continued, “Being from Watts, I always root for other people from Watts. I just want to inspire them. If that means being here to inspire some hope, then that’s what I have to do.”

Apart from Nike, she also has a lot of partnerships with major retail, insurance, food, and cosmetic brands. The partnership with them is not just monetary based, she gets those companies involved in her philanthropic efforts, such as the Good JuJu Holiday Giveback. The main aim is to support young basketball players from her hometown. Alongside the waves on the court, last year, she was the winner of “Best Breakthrough Athlete” at the ESPYS. JuJu Watkins continues to strive to be a better role model to society, even at the age of 19!