JuJu Watkins Adds NIL Partnership With Pottery Barn Teen For 'Dream' Makeover

In Watkins' updated living space, her accomplishments and other NIL partnerships are displayed, including a signed pair of Nike sneakers and trading cards from her Fanatics and Topps partnership. There are also game balls from her top performances.

Watkins is one of the most notable college athletes, with an NIL Valuation of $739,000, per On3. She ranked No. 2 in highest NIL valuations in women's basketball, behind LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson. Watkins’ first NIL deal was with Nike while she was just a senior in high school, and signed an extension with the company on Oct. 24. 

Watkins signed with Klutch Sports in high school for NIL  representation, the same agency that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and USC five-star men’s basketball recruit Alijah Arenas. Since signing the deal in high school, Watkins has made many key business moves, partnering with companies such as Gatorade and Funko Pop.

Watkins is one of the most prolific women’s college basketball players. She is coming off a stellar season, which was unfortunately cut short due to an ACL tear. Watkins exited the game during the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. 

In the 2024-2025 season, Watkins led the team in both scoring and assists, averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks. Watkins led the team in scoring and assists. She finished the season with a 42.6 field goal percentage and a 32.5 field goal percentage.

Watkins' status for the 2025-2026 season is up in the air, and may not be known for a while. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb discussed Watkins’ injury with ESPN’s Kendra Andrews. Gottlieb admitted that she does not know what Watkins will do next season, and will not have those conversations yet.

“We don’t know what JuJu will do. Will she take the whole year and redshirt? Will she try to come back at some point?” Gottlieb said. “Those aren’t conversations for right now, but I do think we will dive into how do we stay an elite team regardless of the circumstances.”

Watkins has finished her sophomore season and has a couple of years remaining. She could choose to redshirt to get her full remaining years of eligibility, but that is yet to be determined. Watkins’ recovery could take anywhere from 9 to 14 months, the standard timetable for ACL tears.

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