Women's Fastbreak On SI

JuJu Watkins Mural Spotted Under Construction in Downtown Los Angeles

USC sophomore phenom JuJu Watkins is making her mark off the court in a big way in LA.
Samara Elster|
Feb 13, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) celebrates as the clock runs out in the Trojans win over the UCLA Bruins at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Feb 13, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) celebrates as the clock runs out in the Trojans win over the UCLA Bruins at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Last Thursday night JuJu Watkins showed the nation which California school has current bragging rights in women's college basketball, and that is the USC Trojans.

Against the then undefeated and top ranked UCLA Bruins, Watkins had a jaw dropping all around performance with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks. And of course USC came out with a 71-60 win.

Now, on the heels of that showing, a Watkins mural has showed up in Downtown Los Angeles. From the photos circulating it is still a work in progress, but images of Watkins can be seen adorning multiple buildings.

Watkins is a native of Watts in South Los Angeles which is only a 20 minute drive to Downtown. When it came down to choosing schools a major factor in her decision was the opportunity to stay close to home. She has done exactly that and has turned USC back into a powerhouse program after a long absence from prominence.

Watkins is averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game this season for the Trojans. Her resume is already stacked going back to high school with Gatorade National Player of the Year and McDonalds All-American game MVP. And at the collegiate level she was WBCA Freshman of the Year, and has been awarded the Big Ten Women's Basketball Player of the Week award five times this season.

Which is probably why Nike clearly plans a big push around Watkins for the future. They inked her on a multiyear contract extension that will give her one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women's basketball. And Watkins was also recently featured in the much discussed Super Bowl advertisement focusing on women's sports.

Now with the mural of Watkins in Downtown LA, Nike is proving this is just the beginning of their journey with Watkins.

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Samara Elster
SAMARA ELSTER

Samara Elster covers basketball for Women’s Fastbreak on SI. She has extensively covered a variety of the sports teams at Indiana University with a focus on the women's basketball team. Samara has experience as a beat reporter covering the ins and outs of a team and handling the stories that emerge from that role. Her concentration on sports journalism at IU combined with her enthusiasm for the media industry drove her to pursue a career covering sports.

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