USC's Juju Watkins receives Mercedes EQS through NIL collective
USC freshman guard Judea “Juju” Watkins received a 2023 Mercedes EQS to drive during the 2023-24 season through a partnership between the NIL collective House of Victory and Fletcher Jones Motorcars.
Watkins, who was named Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, is the first USC athlete to benefit from the partnership between the collective and the dealership.
The collective teased future announcements involving additional athletes.
House of Victory’s Twitter account shared some behind-the-scenes photos and video from Watkins’ visit to Fletcher Jones Motorcars.
Standing in front of Fletcher Jones Motorcars, Watkins introduced herself and said she was there with House of Victory.
“To be the first athlete to get a car with House of Victory is amazing,” she said in the video. “I’m super honored to have this blessing and I definitely hope more women get this, too, in the future.”
She said the first person she would FaceTime to show off the Mercedes would be her grandmother.
“My go-to playlist while I’m driving is definitely some Bryson Tiller,” Watkins said in a voiceover, while the video showed her behind the wheel of her new car.
House of Victory is an official sponsor of USC Athletics.
“Galen Center is going to be super lit this year,” Watkins said. “We’ve got a lot going on and I’m super excited to feel the atmosphere. And everybody should just come to just see what we can do.”
Juju Watkins’s On3 NIL Valuation
Watkins has an On3 NIL Valuation of $174,000. The On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s projected annual value in the NIL landscape, factoring in the role of regional and national sponsorships through an athlete’s Brand Value and the role of NIL collectives through an athlete’s Roster Value.
She has 283,000 Instagram followers.
Watkins joins Lisa Leslie as the only USC players who received Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors. Watkins’ other honors include the USA Today Girls Basketball Player of the Year and the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Trophy.
ESPN ranked Watkins as the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class.
As a senior at Sierra Canyon School, Watkins led her team to a 31-1 record. The 6-2 guard averaged 27.5 points, 13.7 rebounds 3.6 assists and 2.5 steals.