Juju Watkins' parents and siblings are the wind beneath her wings

Juju Watkins' parents and siblings are the wind beneath her wings

Juju Watkins is a rising American collegiate basketball player who plays for the USC Trojans of the Pac-12 Conference. She made history when she scored 32 points on her debut college match. Behind her awe-inspiring career lies a powerful family story that influenced her path. Discover how Juju Watkins' parents and siblings played a key role in shaping the person she is today.

JuJu Watkins at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California (L). JuJu at Galen Center in Los Angeles, California (R)
JuJu Watkins attends The 2024 ESPY Awards (L). JuJu during warm-ups before the game against the Fresno State Bulldogs (R). Photo: Gilbert Flores, Meg Oliphant (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Juju Watkins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States, and grew up alongside her three siblings. She developed an interest in basketball at a tender age, and her father, Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy, coached her early. Discover lesser-known facts about Juju Watkins' family.

Profile summary

Full nameJudea Skies Watkins
NicknameJuJu
GenderFemale
Date of birth15 July 2005
Age19 years old (as of 2024)
Zodiac signGemini
Place of birthLos Angeles, California, United States
Current residenceLos Angeles, California, United States
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityAfrican-American
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Height in feet6'2"
Height in centimetres188
Weight in pounds154
Weight in kilograms70
Hair colourBlack
Eye colourDark brown
FatherRobert Neal-Watkins
MotherSari Watkins
Siblings3
Relationship statusSingle
High SchoolWindward School, Sierra Canyon School
UniversityUniversity of Southern California
ProfessionBasketball player
Instagram@jujubballin
Facebook@juju.watkins

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Who are Juju Watkins' parents?

JuJu's parents, Sari and Robert Neal-Watkins have significantly shaped her journey to fame. Their support has helped her overcome obstacles and pursue a successful career in sports.

JuJu discovered that she wanted to play basketball at around 11. When speaking with LA Clippers All-Star forward Paul George on his podcast, Podcast P With Paul George, JuJu mentioned how she informed her parents about her interests. She stated:

I would say when I was like 11, I really had to talk with my parents [and tell them], 'This is something that I really want to do. "'Cause other than it was just playing outside with my brothers or going to the park, but I really wanted to be serious about it so I worked in the offseason with my dad [Robert Neal-Watkins], he trained me on fundamentals and stuff. I guess it just started from there.

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Robert Neal-Watkins

JuJu's dad, Robert Neal-Watkins, is Tim Watkins' son. He is the grandson of renowned civil rights activist Theodore Watkins, also known as Ted Watkins Sr. (JuJu's great-grandfather). Ted founded the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) in 1965. There is a park in Los Angeles, California, USA, named after him, called Ted Watkins Memorial Park.

JuJu's dad is a former college football player who has played a crucial role in shaping her sports career. When she was 12, he coached her in basketball in their backyard or at the Watts gym named after her great-grandfather, Ted Watkins.

While speaking during an interview with ESPN, Robert said her daughter was a good learner and one who would take risks. He stated:

When we started in the backyard, it was always about the foundation and the repetition. We were always making sure we were adding to her value and her skillset. The one great thing about Juju was whatever we worked on in the backyard, she would implement immediately in the game. She wasn't afraid of taking risks.

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Sari Watkins

Sari is JuJu's mother, and she has played an essential role in her success in sports. She is a former college track and field athlete. JuJu revealed that her parents wanted her to play tennis, which was against her wishes. She approached her mother and told her about her passion for basketball.

The mother advised her to play if she could fully commit to it. JuJu disclosed this in the aforementioned interview with ESPN. She mentioned:

I had to go to my mom and be like, 'I want to do this.' For her to be like, 'OK, well now let me put you in something.' They really forced me to really want to be serious about something because their whole thing is, 'Don't do nothing if you're not going to be fully in it.

At 10, JuJu played her first year of travel ball and struggled because she lacked some fundamental skills. On her way home in the car with her mom, she broke down and told her mom.

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Mom, can you please teach me how to play basketball? Please, Mom, just please can you and Dad teach me what to do?

When Sari was asked what led to her daughter's success. She replied:

It's pretty simple. Be consistent in life. We felt honored that people wanted to know how we got her there so quickly, but it was because once she wanted to be serious about it, we just invested so much energy into helping her build that. It was a priority of ours.

JuJu Watkins' siblings

The young basketball star grew alongside her three older siblings: two brothers, Dami and Mali, and a sister, Mar Watkins. JuJu's siblings have maintained a low profile, so little is known about them.

JuJu Watkins at UCLA Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California
JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans warms up ahead of a game against the UCLA Bruins. Photo: Katharine Lotze
Source: Getty Images

When the basketballer was young, she played basketball with her two brothers in the backyard. She revealed this during a short interview with artist Devon Rodriguez. She mentioned:

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I don't remember. But I think my earliest memory was always playing in the backyard with my brothers. I grew up with two bigger brothers, so. They were just big and strong so that was always an advantage. But now they're scared to play me.

FAQs

  1. Who is Juju Watkins? She is a rising basketball player for the USC Trojans.
  2. Where is Juju Watkins from? She was born in Los Angeles, United States.
  3. How old is Juju Watkins? She is 19 years old as of 2024.
  4. Who are Juju Watkins' parents? Her mother is Sari, and her father is Robert Neal-Watkins.
  5. Who is Juju Watkins' sister? She has one older sister called Mar Watkins.
  6. Who is Juju Watkins' brother? The American basketballer has two brothers, Dami and Mali Watkins.
  7. Are Juju and Ashlyn Watkins related? They are not related in any way; they only have the same sir names.
  8. What is Juju Watkins's relationship with Bronny James? JuJu Watkins and Bronny James are friends and attended the same university. Bronny James, who was recently drafted into the NBA, is the son of LeBron James.

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Juju Watkins' parents, Sari and Robert Neal-Watkins, have played a significant role in supporting her career ambitions. Juju is a young American professional basketball player for the USC Trojans of the Pac-12 Conference. She grew up alongside her three siblings.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Isaac Wangethi avatar

Isaac Wangethi (Lifestyle writer) Isaac Wangethi has been a content writer at Legit since September 2021. He has gained valuable experience working on various projects, such as celebrity biographies, lifestyle, news and many more. Isaac won the Writer of the Year Award on Legit in 2023. He earned a Bsc. of Science in Information Technology in 2017 from the University of Nairobi and a Higher Diploma in Computer Software Engineering from Gretsa University in 2021. In 2023, Isaac finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In March 2024, he completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: Wangethin@gmail.com

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