For USC basketball star JuJu Watkins, family and community serve as constants within the chaos.
Episode two of “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins”, the new documentary series presented by State Farm, depicts the importance of Watkins’ hometown of Watts, Los Angeles and how family supports her basketball journey.
“JuJu comes from two families with such strong women on both sides,” Watkins’ aunt, Tracee, says in the episode. “And she has learned from both sides of the family how to carry herself.”
Watkins’ mother, Sari, is one of five daughters and believes that it takes a village to raise a family. “JuJu’s childhood is not very typical so we try our best to make sure she doesn’t get overwhelmed with everything,” Sari says.
Watkins’ family also emphasizes the importance of community. In the second episode of the docuseries, Watkins hosts a holiday fundraiser to benefit her hometown of Watts.
“Whenever I do brand partnerships or have conversations about potentially partnering, I want to make sure that whatever we do, it somehow ties back to Watts,” Watkins explains. “Being from Watts, I always root for other people from Watts. I just want to inspire them. If that means being here to inspire some hope, then that’s what I have to do.”
Crucial to Watkins’ success is, of course, her hair. Episode two shows her mom doing her bun prior to the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
“Even though JuJu’s young, she realizes that the spotlight is on her,” Sari says. “She’s done things that 1 percent of female hoopers get to do in their high school careers. She’s just not going to waste an opportunity to help expand the game.”
While Watkins may have to work on perfecting her own bun, her competitiveness on the basketball court can’t be taught. At the Hoophall Classic, Watkins battles through an ankle injury. Her cousin, Tracey Mills, emphasizes Watkins’ grit and persistence: “She lives and dies basketball. You can tell this is her soul.”
Watkins turned heads for many reasons while playing high school basketball for Sierra Canyon, but her senior night game against Notre Dame sticks out. Watkins broke her own single-game school record and scored 60 points in the win.
“Going into it, I didn’t even want to score that much,” Watkins says in the episode. “But I just think, you know, you couldn’t deny it. It was an undeniable thing.”
While attention naturally follows Watkins’ big-game performances, she is an introvert at heart. After scoring 60 points, the episode transitions to show Watkins getting ready for her senior prom surrounded by family and friends.
This dichotomy – being a mega star in high school who also attends senior prom – underscores Watkins’ versatility not only on the basketball court but in life. And while she reaches new heights in the sport, her family makes sure that she keeps both feet on the ground.
“I’m a really shut-off person,” Watkins explains. “I don’t really make friends easily. I think it’s something that’s hard to find and I’m just enjoying it as much as I can for this last year.”
Episode two is just one part of a six-episode series on NBC and Peacock that follows Watkins through her senior year of high school, offering an intimate glimpse into the dichotomy of her life. Watkins is, at many levels, just like all of us as she readies for senior prom and gets teased by her family. But she reaches extraordinary heights on the basketball court.
How can I watch the “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins” documentary on NBC and Peacock?
The first two episodes will premiere on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by the game between Watkins and No. 3 USC vs. No. 6 Notre Dame at 4:00 p.m. ET, live on NBC and Peacock.
Episodes three through six will air on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 4:00–6:00 p.m. ET on NBC and will also be available to stream on Peacock.
You can stream the first two episodes on Peacock starting Sunday, November 24.
How can I watch USC basketball games on Peacock?
You can watch Big Ten basketball games by first subscribing to Peacock. Then, either go to PeacockTV.com/Sports in your web browser or download the Peacock app on your phone, tablet, or streaming device and navigate to the Sports section. See below for the list of USC women’s basketball games that will be streaming on Peacock:
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Northwestern vs USC – January 15 at 10:00 PM ET
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USC vs Indiana – January 19 at 12:00 PM
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USC vs Purdue – January 22 at 7:00 PM
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Minnesota vs USC – January 30 at 10:00 PM
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USC vs Wisconsin – February 5 at 7:30 PM
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UCLA vs USC – February 13 at 10:00 PM
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Michigan State vs USC – February 19 at 9:30
Are all Big Ten Basketball games available to watch on Peacock?
Peacock will stream 56 men’s basketball games and 26 women’s basketball games across the 2024-2025 season. Peacock subscribers will also get the first rounds of both the Big Ten Men’s & Women’s tournament live.
What devices does Peacock support?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.
Students, now you can get Peacock at a special discount — just $1.99/mo for 12 months. Visit Peacock to learn more and get started!
