JuJu Watkins might be breaking Caitlin Clark’s records on the court one after another, but off the court is a different story. It looks like the sophomore owes a lot to the reigning WNBA ROTY for blazing a trail in the world of endorsements. And obviously, to a talent like her, it was bound to come. Still, thanks to the path Clark paved, the 17-year-old has now inked a historic deal with State Farm, becoming just the second college athlete to partner with the insurance giant. 

And this is no small feat. The partnership kicks off with JuJu starring alongside Jake from State Farm as a “new neighbor” in their co-branded ad campaign. State Farm is also presenting her docuseries, On the Rise: JuJu Watkins, which airs on NBC. A big deal for someone still early in her college basketball career and has a long way to go.

But it won’t be ever forgotten that it all started with the 2024 ROTY. She was State Farm’s first college athlete to sign an NIL deal, and it paid off. According to analytics firm EDO, commercials featuring Clark were a whopping 46% more effective in driving consumer engagement than the average State Farm ad. 

Ads aired during her college games saw an additional 28% boost in effectiveness. With stats like these, it’s no wonder State Farm doubled down on women’s sports by adding Clark’s projected successor JuJu to their roster. But the brand’s commitment to women’s sports isn’t exactly new. 

They’ve been in the game for years, dating back to their partnership with WNBA legend Sue Bird in 2015. Their strategy? Invest in the growing fanbase of women’s sports, which Kristyn Cook, State Farm’s chief agency, sales, and marketing officer, says is digitally savvy, loyal, and increasingly influential in making financial decisions. 

“We’re very proud of having a decadelong investment in women’s sports,” Cook shared. “And we’ve seen the business value firsthand.” The Trojans star herself is thrilled to join the State Farm family. “It’s an honor to partner with State Farm,” Watkins expressed.

“Not only are they one of the biggest brands in sports, but they’ve also been investing in basketball and in the women’s game for decades,” she added. Their hefty investments in women’s sports, including partnerships with the NWSL, WNBA, NCAA basketball, and even women’s Olympic teams, prove it all.

And by the way, along with signing Watkins, State Farm has also made another move into the world of women’s basketball again by partnering with a new 3×3 league kicking off in January.

State Farm teams up with Unrivaled

Not long ago, State Farm signed a multiyear deal to become Unrivaled’s exclusive home and auto insurance sponsor. On top of that, the insurance brand was also the presenting sponsor for the league’s club selection announcement on November 20, 2024.

Cook led the charge on the brand’s side, while Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled’s President, worked things from the property’s perspective. While the brand’s collaboration with the league is new, the stars playing in the Napheesa Collier-led league have been associated with it for a long time now. 

The list includes Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, and Arike Ogunbowale. However, as soon as the announcement was up, fans couldn’t help but speculate—does this mean Caitlin Clark might join Unrivaled? She’s already a State Farm athlete, after all. But the chances of that happening this year are next to impossible. 

Still, the league’s roster is already stacked with big names of the W. And with investments like these, it’s no wonder the WNBA is thriving. Now, brands see the value in the game’s rising stars. Going forward, with athletes like JuJu Watkins and Caitlin Clark leading the way, the future has never looked brighter.