USC star JuJu Watkins has reportedly signed "one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women's basketball."
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Shams Charania of ESPN revealed that the Trojans guard finalized a multiyear contract extension with Nike. Watkins initially signed with the brand in October 2022 during her senior year of high school.
JuJu Watkins Showed out in First Year of College
Watkins was the top prospect in the class of 2023 and her freshman year at SoCal validated all the hype surrounding her. Her 27.1 points per game put her second in the country only behind then Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark. Her high scoring ability willed her to a total of 920 points last season, setting the record for the most points scored by a freshman in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. Watkins' efforts helped the Trojans reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1984.
As a token of her exemplary freshman campaign, she was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and won "Best Breakthrough Athlete" at the 2024 ESPYs.
Ahead of the upcoming season, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb spoke about the work ethic JuJu Watkins brings every day and how much it means for her program.
"She's unreal to be around every single day," Gottlieb said. "When your best player puts in that type of effort and has that type of care for the program and her teammates, I think that gives you something special," she added. "I think Big Ten fan bases and opponents will be excited because she just brings a level and intensity that makes the game better."
With the big contract extension, in addition to being named the Big Ten and Associated Press preseason Player of the Year, it's safe to say that expectations are high for the incoming sophomore.
