Cooper Flagg, Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins join forces for $7.2 billion company’s energy drink brand's ad

As the excitement for the NCAA Tournament builds, Gatorade has launched a new campaign featuring three of college basketball’s biggest stars. These are: Cooper Flagg from Duke, Paige Bueckers from UConn and JuJu Watkins from USC.

The campaign, titled "The Take" by the $7.2 billion company (according to Statista) highlights the pressure, criticism and dedication that come with being top-tier athletes.

Flagg, Bueckers and Watkins are all key players in their respective conferences and all three were named their conference’s Player of the Year. They are expected to be top picks in the upcoming NBA and WNBA drafts.

In "The Take," the trio reflects on the mental and emotional challenges of competing at the highest level. The commercial, which runs for 30 seconds, features footage of the athletes in action on the court while delivering a powerful message about handling the highs and lows of the game.

“I could talk about what I gave to be here. My work. My sweat. My talent,” Watkins says in the beginning.

"But what about everything I took," Flagg adds, building on Watkins' statement.

“I took their stomping, their yelling, their noise, takes, time, comments, their love. I took everything from them,” Bueckers says in the ad.

Gatorade's impact on college sports

With the NCAA Tournament set to begin, Flagg, Bueckers and Watkins will look to lead their teams on deep tournament runs. The new Gatorade ad not only reflects their success on the court but also highlights the pressure and determination required to perform at the highest level.

Gatorade's latest campaign is part of a broader strategy to align with rising stars in college basketball through NIL deals.

In addition to appearing in the ad, Watkins, a sophomore guard at USC and Big 10 Player of the Year, collaborated with Gatorade to create a limited-edition Gatorade Squeeze Bottle. It features her signature and her mantra for success: “Without struggle, there is no progress.”

Meanwhile, Bueckers, a senior at UConn, has been a strong force throughout her college career and remains a fan favorite. Her presence in the ad campaign reflects Gatorade’s strategy to align with established stars while also supporting emerging talent.

By featuring Flagg, Bueckers and Watkins, Gatorade is not only tapping into the excitement around March Madness but also establishing its influence in college sports.