The dynamic changes in women’s basketball show no signs of slowing down anytime soon, especially as the popularity of hoops is at an all-time high at every level, offering stars endorsement opportunities that were often reserved for their male counterparts. Whether it’s Breanna Stewart or Sabrina Ionescu, each of them has a popular signature sneaker line with giants like Puma and Nike. Up next, we have collegiate stars like Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins in line.

Ever since Bueckers announced her first college PEs as a Nike women’s athlete for the upcoming season, questions loomed about Nike’s willingness to invest enough to keep all its stars. However, as the sports manufacturing giant signed Watkins to a long-term contract extension, everything now seems crystal clear. In fact, Watkins’ endorsement is among the top deals according to an ESPN analyst.

How Juju Watkins got the “richest sneaker deal”?

USC women’s basketball standout JuJu Watkins has continued to leave an indelible mark. “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,” shared ESPN insider Shams Charania in a report.

This simply means Watkins has inked a historic deal with Nike. According to Charania, the negotiations for Watkins’ deal were led by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and Watkins’ team, including head of marketing Eric Eways, agent Jade Li English, and vice president of basketball marketing Brittany McCallum. The discussions were closed by Nike officials on Tuesday.

A contract was initially signed in 2022

The 19-year-old phenom’s original contract was inked two years ago in October when she was a high school senior, along with Caitlin Clark and Bronny James. The decision undoubtedly proved to be fruitful as she made a star-studded season in her freshman year with the Trojans. In fact, Watkins helped USC to the Elite Eight in the national championship. For those unaware, it’s the farthest the program has reached in the last 30 years.

Moving on, with her 920 points scored last year, she ended up setting a new record for most points by a freshman in NCAA Division I history. For these efforts, she was even named “Best Breakthrough Athlete” at the 2024 ESPYs. Her new deal with Nike also marks her continued development into the future face of the WNBA.

As of now, there are no revelations regarding the amount promised to the USC star as part of Nike’s contract extension. But since it’s touted to make her one of the richest, it suggests Watkins has neared Clark’s shoe deal with Nike. For the Indiana Fever standout, the deal is reported to be about $28 million over 8 years — the most lucrative shoe deal in women’s basketball history.