USC star JuJu Watkins becomes first women's college basketball star to sign exclusive, multi-year deal with over $30 billion worth company

Juju Watkins, USC women's basketball star and 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year and a unanimous First-Team All-American, continues to make history both on and off the court. On Friday, she signed an exclusive, multi-year contract with Fanatics and its trading card division, Fanatics Collectibles.

This groundbreaking deal makes Watkins the first female college athlete to sign such an agreement with the over $30 billion worth company Fanatics (according to The Wall Street Journal).

According to reports, the deal covers autographed Fanatics-branded memorabilia, including photos and basketballs, along with trading cards featuring Watkins’ signature and game-worn items.

She will appear in her USC Trojans uniform on Fanatics trading cards, starting with the 2025 Bowman University Chrome Basketball release on April 3, 2025.

Watkins’ deal mirrors a similar agreement signed by Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg with Fanatics earlier this year. Flagg’s first appearance will also be in the 2025 Bowman University Chrome Basketball set.

Watkins’ partnership with Fanatics represents a major milestone for women’s college basketball and trading card history. The deal reflects her growing influence as one of the sport’s brightest stars.

Player of the Year: JuJu Watkins, USC

JuJu Watkins has had a phenomenal season, leading USC to a Big Ten regular-season title and a spot in the conference tournament championship game. She was second in the nation in scoring, averaging 24.6 points per game.

She also ranked sixth in the nation in win shares with 6.5 and her offensive efficiency has improved this season. She shot 42.6%, 33.0% from beyond the arc, and 82.0% from the free-throw line. Alongside her scoring ability, Watkins also averaged 6.9 rebounds per game.

Watkins has built a reputation for thriving in clutch moments, showcased in her pivotal role in USC's wins over UCLS and a key non-conference win against UConn in December. Her outstanding performances down the stretch secured the Trojan's first conference title since 1994. Now, USC is positioned to secure the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year—a feat not seen since the iconic Cheryl Miller era in the 1980s.

In total, Watkins played 31 games this season, scoring 764 points, highlighting her dominance as an offensive powerhouse.