Women’s college basketball is in need for a star to replace the supernova that was Caitlin Clark.
Enter JuJu Watkins.
Watkins was the number one prospect coming out of high school and has lived up to the hype so far
The college basketball phenom that dons the Southern California Trojan jersey is not only the best player in the NCAA right now, but she is now also in line for a historic payday.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Watkins and Nike have agreed to a multiyear contract extension that will give her ‘one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women’s basketball history’.
The deal was spearheaded by her representation at Klutch Sports, that included CEO Rich Paul, agent Jade-Li English, head of marketing Eric Eways and vice president of basketball marketing Brittany McCallum, along with senior Nike officials.
Watkins was the first high school athlete that Klutch Sports agreed to represent in the new era of NIL back in February of 2022.
Fast forward a couple months later, and the then 17-year-old high school senior signed with Nike in October of 2022, where she has since blown away every expectation of her.
Last season, as a freshman at USC, Watkins averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
To put those numbers in perspective, only Caitlin Clark averaged more points than Watkins last season.
Watkins became the all-time leading scorer among freshmen in Division I women’s basketball history with a total of 920 points.
Her historic freshman campaign led to numerous individual awards at the end of the season, including being named a first-team All-American.
Watkins led the Trojans to their first Elite 8 appearance since 1994, ultimately falling to fellow All-American Paige Bueckers and the Connecticut Huskies.
Watkins and the Trojans fell to the UCONN Huskies 80-73 in a back-and-forth affair
With less than a month to go until Watkins begins her sophomore campaign with the Trojans, the hype and expectations are at an all-time high.
USC has been voted as the top team in the Big Ten in both the coaches and media preseason polls.
Watkins herself is the conference’s preseason Player of the Year and the Associated Press’ preseason POY.
According to On3, Watkins sits eighth when it comes to women’s NIL earnings, behind Livvy Dunne’s estimated $4m fortune.
But with her Nike deal the highest profile, her link-up with a host of other brands including Wells Fargo, Taco Bell, Instagram, Spotify and Estee Lauder is likely to see her enter the top 10 next year
The pressure on Watkins to deliver couldn’t be higher.
With Clark having finished her first season in the WNBA, the college game is now in need of a new superstar that the country can latch on to and be amazed by on a nightly basis.
And while there are worthy contenders such as Bueckers, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, none are on Watkins’ level.
Watkins no longer has next up.
She has now.
