JuJu Watkins has always acknowledged her parents for helping her stay grounded even after receiving huge fame as the rising college star. As one of the top prospects in her class, Watkins is making the headlines with her exceptional basketball prowess. She made history when she scored 32 points on her debut college match. Her game play even left many NBA stars amazed. 

JuJu was born to Sari and Robert Neal-Watkins as their youngest daughter. But unlike many athletes, JuJu never started her career with basketball. Her parents wanted her to become a professional tennis player just like her elder sisters. But JuJu had some other plans. 

The pillars of JuJu Watkins’ success

During an interview with ESPN, Watkins remembered when she had to convince her mom, “I had to go to my mom and be like, ‘I want to do this.’ For her to be like, ‘OK, well now let me put you in something.’ They really forced me to really want to be serious about something because their whole thing is, ‘Don’t do nothing if you’re not going to be fully in it.'”

JuJu grew up surrounded by a family of athletes, who encouraged and supported her throughout the journey. Her father was a former football player and her mother was a track and field star.  

In an interview with ESPN, Robert Watkins said, “When we started in the backyard, it was always about the foundation and the repetition. We were always making sure we were adding to her value and her skillset. The one great thing about JuJu was whatever we worked on in the backyard, she would implement immediately in the game. She wasn’t afraid of taking risks.”

Read More: With Paige Bueckers Taking the Attention for UConn Force, Who’s Donovan Clingan in the Men’s Team?

Although JuJu’s parents are the biggest supporters of her success, they like to keep their lives private and there isn’t much information available on them as to what they do for a living. Notably, freshman JuJu is rocking the college basketball circuit in the ongoing 2023-24 NCAA season. 

How has she performed so far?

The USC Trojans star player started her college career with a bang. She dropped 32 points in her first game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. With this game, she set a tone for all the upcoming games. The Lady Trojans have played eight matches so far, out of which they have won all eight with an average score difference of 23.8 points. And it’s all thanks to their freshman, JuJu Watkins.  

Her stellar performance has already sparked debates about her winning this year’s NCAA Freshman of The Year award. In the eight matches, her best performance was against the Le Moyne Dolphins in which she scored her career-high of 35 points.  

Watch This Story: Sending Shockwaves in The Basketball World, Know 18YO MiLaysia Fulwiley’s Story

But one thing is for sure, her best is yet to come. As the season continues, fans will be keeping their eye on JuJu Watkins to witness how her story unfolds.