USC sophomore JuJu Watkins has signed an exclusive multi-year NIL deal with Fanatics and the company’s trading card division, Fanatics Collectibles. The agreement, which covers memorabilia and trading cards, is the first of its kind for a female college athlete.
The deal will include items like autographed photos, basketballs, trading cards, and game-worn apparel, all featuring Watkins in her full Trojan uniform for the first time. The first standard issue of trading cards will be released soon as a part of the 2025 Bowman University Chrome Basketball set.
The young star has already been spotted on Bowman cards since 2022, but despite only depicting Watkins in a logoless uniform, they’ve sold for up to thousands of dollars.
As a standout player for USC, Watkins has earned recognition for her on-court skills after leading the Trojans to a 28-3 regular-season record and a Big Ten conference championship appearance in her second year. She’s now extending her influence off the court as well, with her deal signaling the continued exponential growth and evolution of women’s sports, especially when it comes to marketing.
Watkins already notched a milestone in the memorabilia and collectibles space when she became the first active NCAA athlete to have a Funko Pop designed after her likeness in November.
The Los Angeles native also has an existing portfolio of endorsement deals with brands like Degree Deodorant, United Airlines, Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, NYX, and more.
Fanatics has also made a statement that suggests they’ve planned a long-term partnership with Watkins, indicating that the agreement “will continue into the next level of her career.”
The partnership is a monumental step in the relatively new realm of endorsement and personal brand deals on the collegiate level and will create the path for women players to monetize their likenesses and careers more easily than ever before.
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