LOS ANGELES – More than 150 girls and their families lined up outside Galen Center early Sunday morning, waiting for the doors to open for JuJu Watkins’ basketball camp.
USC star JuJu Watkins wanted her camp to be about more than the game of basketball. Hosted through The Good JuJu Foundation, the event brought together girls in third through eighth grade for a day focused on skill development, personal growth and preparing young athletes for life beyond the court. In partnership with Nike, Google Health, Ritz and Gatorade, campers developed skills on and off the court and each received a pair of Watkins' signature Nike shoes, The Silver Lining.
Throughout the morning, campers rotated through 15-minute stations focused on dribbling, running plays, and defensive techniques before heading into classrooms for educational sessions. Watts' Finish First Academy led a drug prevention workshop, while the B-Yourself Foundation taught health and wellness.
For Watkins, creating opportunities like this is about preparing young athletes for life outside of basketball.She wanted the next generation of athletes to leave with knowledge they could apply both on and off the court, especially those who may not have access to opportunities like this.
"I've dreamt of having a basketball camp, having people from my community come out and see all these girls here with so much energy and just having so much fun," Watkins said. "It just makes me smile and makes my heart full for sure."
The smiles weren't just worn by Watkins and the young athletes on the court. They extended to the sidelines, where parents watched their daughters experience a moment they won't forget.
Among those watching from the sidelines was Jason Dennis, who surprised his 10-year-old daughter, Georgia, with the opportunity to attend the camp and meet her idol. During one drill, Georgia wasn't afraid to step up and show off her defensive skills, going one-on-one against the 6-foot-2 USC guard.
"She wears No. 12 because of her," Dennis said. "She wears a bun because of her. She wants to go to Sierra Canyon because of her. Everything is JuJu."
While the girls developed their basketball skills, parents participated in a financial literacy session presented in partnership with J.P. Morgan Chase. The workshop focused on preparing families for the financial realities of youth sports and teaching strategies to build long-term financial stability.
Watkins said the mission behind The Good JuJu Foundation is rooted in the example set by her great-grandfather, whose work serving the Watts community continues to inspire her.
"My great-grandfather was able to do great things in the community of Watts, whether it be housing [or] extending so many resources to the community,” Watkins said. "So if I'm able to do that with basketball, the platform I've been given, it's definitely what I'll do and continue to honor that family legacy. I'm just grateful that I'm in a position to do so."