“JuJu, Hannah, A’ja Wilson, no one beats them”: Fans react as JuJu Watkins, Dawn Staley join Giannis and Michael Phelps in Unrivaled's $35M push
Unrivaled, an upcoming women's professional basketball league, has received a significant boost in investment. Rising star JuJu Watkins was announced to have contributed to the competition's funding ahead of its inaugural season in 2025.
In doing so, Watkins joined South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, legendary Olympian Michael Phelps, and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo as investors in the new league. Fans quickly went online to share their thoughts on the news.
"Juju Hannah and Aja no one beats them" one fan commented.
"Great 👏👏👏" another wrote.
"Love to see it 🔥" another fan commented.
Fans continued to react to the news of Unrivaled securing over $35 million in funding.
"Keep the money coming!!! I'd love women getting more opportunities to play." one fan commented.
"That's big 💪🏽," another wrote.
"👏👏👏👏," another commented.
You can follow the conversation in the original post by Bleacher Report below.
JuJu Watkins joins Unrivaled league ownership
USC star JuJu Watkins is the most fascinating investor group member because her potential future involvement in Unrivaled could be significant.
In August, UConn star Paige Bueckers signed an NIL deal with the league, which gave her an ownership stake and reportedly positioned her to compete once her college career ends. A similar agreement with Watkins would be a big win for Unrivaled, although they would have to wait a few years to fully benefit from her participation since she’s only a sophomore.
"As women's sports continue to surge in popularity and impact, we're inspired by the growing momentum around Unrivaled and grateful for the strong support from our investors," Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell said.
"Our players haven't even taken the court yet and the foundation we are building with our partners unites unparalleled expertise, strategic insight, and an incredible product. Together, we're setting the stage for Unrivaled for years to come."
As a freshman, JuJu Watkins quickly became one of college basketball’s brightest stars. She averaged 27.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg in the 2023-24 season, helping her team make it to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994.
USC is off to a strong 10-1 start this season, with Watkins again leading the charge. She’s averaging 24.7 ppg while shooting 45.4 percent. For now, however, Watkins will be watching Unrivaled from the sidelines.
The league, featuring six teams in a three-on-three format, kicks off on Jan. 17 in Miami.