Year-End Honors: USC women’s basketball player JuJu Watkins, Best NIL Athlete

USC star JuJu Watkins has subsequently taken over the mantle that Caitlin Clark’s graduation from Iowa and subsequent relocation to the WNBA left in the women’s basketball NIL world. After a stellar debut season for the Trojans, Watkins, the sophomore star who is probably going to be highly considered for national player of the year this season, has established herself as one of the most recognizable figures in women’s college basketball, and her NIL participation reflects that.

The Los Angeles native, represented by Jade-Li English of Klutch Sports, was an obvious choice to receive SBJ’s Best NIL Athlete of the Year award because she has participated in significant brand campaigns with AT&T, NYK, Chipotle, Nike, Gatorade, Nerd Wallet, Funko, and Celsius.

Second— Caitlin Clark was the first athlete to sign a NIL contract with State Farm.

More recently, Wakins signed a contract with State Farm earlier this year, becoming the company’s second-ever NIL player (Clark being the first). Kristyn Cook, the Chief Agency, Sales & Marketing Officer for State Farm, led brand-side negotiations. The multifaceted connection has been particularly noticeable, as Watkins has appeared in national TV advertisements alongside Jake from State Farm. Additionally, Uninterrupted and 4.4.Forty Media present the NBC/Peacock docuseries “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins,” of which State Farm is a presenting sponsor. Six episodes of the series have been broadcast since its late November premiere.

Watkins’ NIL worth also existed before she was a USC standout. She signed with Klutch Sports as the first female client and high school athlete, and in 2022, she became one of Nike’s first NIL players. Her recent contract renewal with Nike, which was negotiated in part by English and Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports, is among the most lucrative shoe endorsement deals in women’s basketball, according to ESPN. Watkins’ performance on the court is helpful. She averaged 24.7 points per game this season and was named a first-team All-American and national freshman of the year in 2023–24.