Sierra Canyon Juju Watkins Parents: 5 Facts You Need To Know
Juju Watkins, up and coming basketball star, is the daughter of Sari and Robert Neal-Watkins.
At an open house in 2016 at the Windward School in Los Angeles, where Vanessa Nygaard was working as a teacher, she was discovered for the first time. While Juju was ready to start the seventh grade, Nygaard was the head coach of the girls’ high school basketball team.
Juju Watkins’s Parents Are Her Constant Support
Juju Watkins is the daughter of parents Sari and Robert Neal-Watkins. She is ranked as the No. 2 player in the class of 2023 by ESPN Hoopgurlz.
Her mother, Sari, was a student at Washington Prep and participated in basketball there. Her father, Robert Neal, was a basketball player at Verbum Dei. Her uncle signed her up for a park league when she was seven, which was the beginning of her basketball career.
sfchronicle
During each of Watkins’ games, her whole family cheers her on from the sidelines and gives her advice. During the junior superstar’s 79-28 victory over Bishop Montgomery, she had a moment where she went to her family and requested everybody to be silent. This made her the first female prep athlete to sign with LeBron James and Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports Group.
According to Robert, her father, the family pushes her to succeed. In addition to being very diligent with her schoolwork and studies, Juju also has a strong work ethic.
Juju Started Playing Basketball When She Was Seven
When Juju first picked up a basketball, she was probably around seven years old when she started playing, and she frequently played against guys on a court at the WCLAC.
When she arrived at Windward Middle School in seventh grade, she was virtually unbeatable. Her adversaries would use every defensive possible against her, including many different takes on the box-and-one strategy.
latimes
In a typical implementation of this strategy, four defenders participate in a zone defense. In contrast, the fifth defender is tasked with covering the most dangerous attacking player on the opposing side. In the instance of Juju, she was protected by the four-person enclosure. She was still unable to be stopped by it.
Her First High School Match Taught Her A Lot
When Juju Watkins was finally given the opportunity to play for the high school team, she faced more challenges than just competing against players with more experience. She had no choice but to pick up their games to compete.
fiba
Juju was the leader of the squad in almost all official statistics (including points scored, rebounds grabbed, assists sent out, and steals made), as well as a few unofficial statistics (blocked shots that made even opposing fans go wild).
Kobe Bryant was one of the individuals who took notice of her since he started following her on Instagram.
Ted Watkins Is Her Great Grandfather
Ted Watkins, who passed away before Juju was born, was the founder of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee in the aftermath of the riots in Watts.
lacounty
Today, he is honored with a park that bears his name and includes a gym where Juju frequently trains.
Juju Watkins Was Named Gatorade’s California Girls Basketball Player Of The Year
In March of 2022, Watkins, who was a junior at the time, was honored as the Gatorade California girls’ basketball Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
calhisports
In addition to recognizing remarkable athletic success, the medal also acknowledges high levels of academic accomplishment and exemplary character shown both on and off the field.
In the name of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, she has offered her time to assist with food banks, toy donation drives, and child basketball camps.
