USC basketball star Juju Watkins signs NIL deal with Gatorade

Days after signing a historic sneaker deal with Nike, USC women’s basketball star Juju Watkins is making another splash. The reigning National Freshman of the Year has joined Gatorade’s growing NIL roster.

Watkins joins former Iowa star and now Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark, along with UConn’s Paige Bueckers, as ambassadors for the sports drink. A former Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, the USC guard will work with the brand to connect with the next generation of elite athletes, including supporting the Gatorade Player of the Year program and appearing in upcoming Gatorade marketing efforts. 

Watkins averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists as a freshman and is on a team with true national championship hopes.

“Gatorade has been a part of my life for years, especially after being named the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year in 2023, so I’m excited to officially be a member of the family,” Watkins said in a statement. “Gatorade partners with the best athletes in the world, so joining this roster is a huge milestone for me as I look towards the future.” 

Repped by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Jade-Li English, Watkins initially signed a deal with Nike as a high school senior in October 2022. She inked the extension with the swoosh on Tuesday, which is one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women’s basketball history.

Along with being named the Freshman of the Year, Juju Watkins has become a superstar in the NIL space. She has more than 1.2 million social media followers and has inked endorsement deals with brands like Cactus Jack, Spotify and AT&T. Watkins has a $576,000 On3 NIL Valuation.

“Our Gatorade roster is the most elite in sport, and we’re proud to have signed many of our long-term athlete partners early in their careers,” Gatorade’s head of global marketing Jeff Kearney said. “Having a dynamic young talent like Juju join the family is an exciting opportunity to build on the incredible impact she’s already made and leverage our combined platforms to continue moving the game forward.”