Many high-profile athletes leverage their fame to give back to their communities, but for JuJu Watkins, the commitment to service started before she became a USC superstar.
So when January wildfires swept through the Southern California stomping grounds where she grew up, Watkins had a natural reaction.
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“My first thought, other than making sure our neighbors were OK, was ‘How could I help?’ ” Watkins said during the “On The Rise” documentary series. “No matter how busy I am, whenever I get the opportunity to do something like this, it’s always been instilled in me just to do the best that I can on and off the court.
“It’s the least I could do.”
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JuJu Watkins deals with adversity while navigating transcendence in return of ‘On The Rise’
A devastating knee injury ended the sophomore season of the USC superstar who has become a global phenomenon.
The second episode of the second season of “On The Rise” tracks Watkins’ family background in altruism while also following her AP Player of the Year performance for USC during the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season.
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Watkins’ great-grandfather founded the Watts Labor Community Action Committee 60 years ago, and the commitment to service and philanthropy has been transferred across generations.
In the wake of the Southern California wildfires (which also forced some of her family members to evacuate their homes), JuJu Watkins helped with a charity drive that provided hair care, deodorant, shirts, backpacks and socks to displaced residents.
The “On The Rise” episode also opens with Watkins reading a variety of fan mail from all ages and walks of life (including a county jail).
“I love letters from little kids,” said Watkins, who was born and raised in Los Angeles. “It’s so heartwarming. It means so much to do what I do here because of the love that I get and the people that I’m able to reach out to and inspire in any way possible. That’s one of the biggest motivators is to give back to my community.”
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On the court, the episode tracks much of USC’s 26-2 regular season. After a tough first loss to Notre Dame, Watkins helped key a critical road win at UConn that avenged an NCAA Tournament defeat the previous season.
And then in perhaps the Trojans’ signature win of the 2024-25 season, USC knocked off No. 1-ranked UCLA 71-60 as Watkins contributed 38 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight blocks.
“I’m not sure there can be a more dominant game,” three-time NBA champion Draymond Green said. “Crosstown rival, the No. 1 team in the country. She was dominant on both sides of the ball.”
USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb said Watkins delivered “the singular best individual performance with those types of stakes, in that kind of moment, that I’ve ever seen.”
During the “On The Rise” episode, Watkins credits much of her game to her father, Robert, who often fields late-night calls to meet his daughter in the gym.
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“My dad’s my first trainer,” Watkins said. “He’s always giving me that reinforcement. He’s very detailed on shooting. We’re in the gym every night. … Wanting to get better every day and become a better version of yourself keeps me up at night and wakes me up in the morning.”
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