Exclusive: JuJu Watkins Makes Women's Basketball History With Groundbreaking NYX Makeup Partnership
USC Trojans women's basketball superstar JuJu Watkins is no stranger to making history on the basketball court, as she produced the highest-scoring freshman season in NCAA history with 920 points scored in 2023-24.
Now the 19-year-old is making history off the court, as she has partnered with NYX Professional Makeup. This marks the first professional makeup brand endorsement deal for a female college basketball player.
Women's Fastbreak on SI spoke with Watkins about the groundbreaking partnership.
When asked what it means to be a pioneer for women's basketball with this NYX partnership, the AP preseason All-American said, "I'm just super excited to have this partnership. I'm a big fan of NYX and have been for a long time, and to see their investment in women's sports and teams like the New York Liberty and Angel City FC, just to see they're so invested in women's sports makes me even more excited about it.
"I think it just goes to show that the different avenues of women's sports and what we're able to accomplish," Watkins continued. "I’m super blessed to be in this position with such a great brand like NYX."
The Trojans star was then asked whether she felt like this partnership with NYX is an opportunity to show another side of her from what fans typically see on the court.
"Yeah, for sure," Watkins said. "And this is why I'm so happy about [the partnership]. I get to show another aspect of myself that most people don't really get to see, and I think that this is really geared towards me off the court. It kind of shows me in a different light."
NYX General Manager Yasmin Dastmalchi added of the partnership, "JuJu represents everything that our brand stands for. She’s an inspiration and someone who is influencing culture, along with many female athletes today. Our partnership with JuJu only reinforces NYX's commitment to women's sports.”
Our conversation with JuJu then turned toward hoops. We discussed the viral video of Watkins' new teammate (and fellow AP Preseason All-American) Kiki Iriafen dunking earlier this summer, and whether seeing Iriafen dunk has become a common occurrence at USC practices.
AIR KIKI ✈️✌️ pic.twitter.com/t2KOJOL1sA
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) June 27, 2024
"Yeah. Whenever she's feeling good, we'll get a dunk out of her," Watkins said. "I'm always amazed at what she can do. I think when you're watching a player from afar, you don't really get to see how truly good they are."
Iriafen transferred to USC after spending the first three seasons of her NCAA career at Stanford.
"But to share the court with her and see her every day in action, I'm just constantly in awe and amazement of her. I think she pushes everybody on the team to be a better version of themselves," Watkins continued of Iriafen.
"Do you think there's any chance we might see Kiki dunking in a game this year?" we asked.
"Oh, for sure," Watkins said. "I think she's definitely gonna go out with the bang, seeing as this is her last year [in NCAA], so I won't be surprised if I throw an alley-oop and she catches it."
Watkins also told Women's Fastbreak On SI there's another Trojans player aside from her and Iriafen that might break out this season.
"I think we have a lot of capable people that have so much talent. I would say my favorite has been Kennedy Smith," Watkins said. "Coming from Etiwanda [High School], we played each other in high school, but just to see how her game has evolved within that short amount of time, and seeing how mature she is on the floor, I'm definitely excited to join forces with her and win a championship."
Which led to us learning Watkins was keenly aware of the viral photo of her and Smith at a September practice where fans said the two looked like clones of each other.
"Yes. We get that like every day," she said. "It's crazy."
this photo is absolutely insane cuz which one is juju ? 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/FiRJh2752T
— azzi fudd npoy² 👑 (@j2timez_w) September 21, 2024
Watkins is a well-known LeBron James fan. When we asked how she'd describe what LeBron and his son Bronny James are doing by playing on the Los Angeles Lakers together this season, she only needed one word.
"Insane," Watkins said. "I think that's the only word to describe it. It's never been done before, so I'd just say insane, honestly."
"Do you have any plans to watch LeBron and Bronny play live this season?"
"Yeah, I have to," Watkins said. "You know, LeBron announced that he's only got a couple of years left, so I'm just gonna see him as much as I can, 'cause he's my favorite player. So yeah, any chance I get for sure."
What's insane is what Watkins has accomplished in just one season of professional basketball. She can now add this historic partnership with NYX to her already staggering resume.
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.