USC’s Juju Watkins holds ‘fun’ camp 

Los Angeles, CA (News4usonline) – Juju Watkins knows what’s it’s like to create buzz on the basketball court.  On Sunday, the USC women’s basketball star extended that excitement to as many as 150 girls during her summer  basketball camp at Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California. 

“It’s super exciting,” Watkins said during a short press conference. “The girls coming in here…they’re super excited. They’re curious, they’re asking questions. It’s really great to see. Yeah, they’re just having fun. I don’t know how else to put it.”

Watkins had plenty of help and support in the basketball camp. She was able to land partnership deals with Nike, Gatorade, Google Health, and J.P. Morgan Chase to sponsor the all day clinic that featured all kinds of basketball drills. 

This was a day for fun, something that Watkins said she tried to encourage the campers to do. 

“The biggest thing that I’ve been telling them is to have fun,” Watkins remarked. “We talked about the determination part where that’s definitely part of the process…I stressed that that’s gotten me to where I am, but I think that if they continue and maintain that positive outlook on basketball and just have fun like they should. I mean, they’re kids living life. Just have fun.”

Having fun is what has made Watkins special. Her mega-watt smile can light up a room. Her basketball camp shows she has a charitable heart. She can also flex 

on-the-court dominance whenever she gets a basketball in her hands. 

As such, judging by all of the hardware that she has picked during her ever-blooming basketball journey, the proof is in the pudding for Watkins. Name a college basketball award and chances are that Watkins has won it. 

Player of the Year from the Associated Press. The Naismith College Player of the Year. Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year. All-American status multiple times. The list goes on and on. Watkins has transitioned from an elite basketball player into a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent. 

Yet, none of the accolades that Watkins has attained has matched her sense to give back and serve the community. She picked up that lesson from her great grandfather, Ted Watkins Sr., founder of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC). 

Ted Watkins Sr. was incredibly influential in the Watts/South Los Angeles community when it came to lending his voice to local and national civil rights activism. Her great grandfather’s drive to be involved and plant himself in community outreach is not lost on Watkins.  

“It’s super important to me, and it’s been stressed to me throughout my whole childhood into my adulthood,” Watkins said. “My great grandfather was able to do great things in the community of Watts, whether it be housing…just extending some of your resources into the community. If I’m able to do that with basketball and the platform I’ve been given, definitely what I will do is to continue to honor that legacy. I’m just grateful I’m in a position to do so.”

With the community messaging all lined up, the biggest takeaway for Watkins on the afternoon was just trying to put a smile on the faces of the campers. 

“We’re playing. We’re shooting. Nobody is taking this stuff so serious,” Watkins said. “We’re all laughing. Just great vibes today.”