JuJu Watkins makes groundbreaking contract to challenge Caitlin Clark
Signing a historic contract with Fanatics, USC women's basketball phenomenon JuJu Watkins is creating history both on and off the court.
Friday saw Watkins put pen to paper on an exclusive, multi-year contract with Fanatics and Fanatics Collectibles, the trading card component of the business. Signing such a contract with a multi-billion dollar company, she becomes the first female college athlete.
Along with trading cards with her autographs and game-worn goods, Fanatics will get rights to Watkins autographed memorabilia - mostly pictures and basketballs as part of the agreement.
Along with the Trojans guard, Duke standout Cooper Flagg, who recently signed with Fanatics on an exclusive arrangement, will be among the licensed card holders.
Fanatics claim that the agreement with Watkins "will continue into the next level of her career," implying as though the relationship will last her WNBA stint. This is interesting as Panini actively owns the sole trading card license for the league.
Watkins's big signing comes just over a year after Caitlin Clark signed a similar exclusive multi-year contract with Panini America while still in college.
Paid almost $1 million in the first year of the contract, the Iowa product was the first of its type featuring a female athlete.