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USC Star JuJu Watkins Teases Secret Reveal for Iconic Bun

A long-awaited reveal for what goes into JuJu Watkins' legendary bun could be coming soon.
Grant Young|
Jan 12, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Jan 12, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

While USC Trojans superstar sophomore JuJu Watkins has become a household name due to her impeccable play on the basketball court — which has made her a frontrunner for 2024-25 National Player of the Year — there's no question that her popularity and fame have been heightened because of her legendary bun.

It would be extremely strange to see Watkins on the court without this bun plopped on top of her head, which never has a hair out of place regardless of how hard the 19-year-old is hooping. Watkins has asserted in the past that her mother, Sari, does this bun for her before every game.

However, Sari isn't so willing to share the secret behind the bun's success, which she conveyed during a March 7 discussion with NBC Sports On Her Turf's Ellie Whittington.

"What's the secret behind the bun?" Sari was asked.

"The secret behind the bun is don't tell the secret behind the bun," she answered with a laugh.

This cheeky response has only grown intrigue about what goes into this bun. And during an interview with NBC Sports' Natalie Esquire on March 13, Watkins might have hinted at her soon revealing her hairstyle's secret.

"I will say something is in the works. I will say that," Watkins said when asked whether there's a hair-care line or something else that might reveal her bun's secret, per an X post from On Her Turf. "But yeah, my mom, she's the ultimate gatekeeper... But yeah, it will be fun to see something. Hopefully soon."

Even if it's part of a brand deal, fans will be clamoring to know anything more about what's behind this bun.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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