Meet Robert Neal-Watkins and Sari Watkins, JuJu Watkins' parents
JuJu Watkins, an American college basketball player for the USC Trojans, has forged a strong athletic career from her rich athletic background. Her father, Robert Neal-Watkins, a former college athlete, helped her develop her early basketball skills. Her mother, Sari Watkins, is a former track and field athlete.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Robert Neal-Watkins is a real estate agent and former college athlete who coached JuJu from an early age.
- JuJu Watkins' mother, Sari Watkins, was a former track and field athlete.
- Sari has attended all of JuJu's games besides helping her with her trademark game hair bun.
- JuJu Watkins' family resides in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Profile summary
Full name | Judea Skies "JuJu" Watkins |
Date of birth | July 15, 2005 |
Age | 20 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Nationality | American |
Father | Robert Neal-Watkins |
Mother | Sari Watkins |
Siblings | Mali, Dami, and Mar |
Relationship status | Single |
Education | Windward School, Sierra Canyon School, and the University of Southern California |
Profession | College basketball player |
Net worth | $1.5 million |
Social media |
Everything about Robert Neal-Watkins and Sari Watkins: JuJu Watkins' parents
JuJu Watkins' parents are Robert Neal-Watkins and Sari Watkins. They raised her alongside her three siblings in Los Angeles, focusing on athletic development and community values.
During an October 29, 2024, interview with Boardroom, JuJu credited her parents for instilling positive values in her life. She said,
My parents always instilled being humble in my character. They have never been regular parents if I can be honest. They have always been super serious about sports and always pushed me to be a better version of myself.
Source: Original
JuJu Watkins' father
JuJu Watkins' father is Robert Neal-Watkins, a Los Angeles-based real estate agent and a former college athlete. He coached JuJu in basketball from the age of 12, in their backyard and at Ted Watkins Memorial Park.
During a 2022 interview with ESPN, Robert praised his daughter as a fast learner. He said,
The one great thing about JuJu was whatever we worked on in the backyard, she would implement immediately in the game. She wasn't afraid of taking risks.
Additionally, Neal-Watkins is the son of Tim Watkins and grandson of civil rights activist Theodore "Ted" Watkins Sr. His grandfather founded the Watts Labour Community Action Committee (WLCAC) in 1965 to improve the lives of residents in Watts. There is also a park in Los Angeles (the Ted Watkins Memorial Park) named in his honour.
JuJu Watkins' mother
JuJu Watkins' mother is Sari Watkins, a former college track and field athlete. Initially, she wanted her daughter to pursue tennis, like Venus and Serena Williams, but JuJu chose basketball instead. Her mother encouraged her to go for it and give her all.
In the aforementioned interview with ESPN in 2022, JuJu elaborated:
I had to go to my mom and be like, 'I want to do this.' For her to be like, 'OK, well now let me put you in something.' They really forced me to really want to be serious about something because their whole thing is, 'Don't do nothing if you're not going to be fully in it.
Sari rarely misses her daughter's games and helps keep JuJu grounded amid fame. She also helps make JuJu's trademark game hair bun.
Source: Getty Images
Is JuJu Watkins' mother related to Jayden Daniels' mother?
Despite rumours, Sari is not related to Jayden Daniels' mother. Jayden Daniels is an American professional football quarterback. His mother, Regina Jackson, stirred social media rumours after she was spotted sitting between Jayden and JuJu during a March 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament.
Regina was also seen attending JuJu's birthday party in July 2025, which raised heated rumours that she is related to Sari Watkins.
JuJu Watkins' age and early life
Judea Skies Watkins (aged 20 years old as of 2025) was born on July 15, 2005, in Los Angeles, California, United States. She attended Windward School before transferring to Sierra Canyon School in her junior year of 2021.
She was named the top women's basketball recruit in the 2023 class, which attracted offers from South Carolina and Stanford. However, she chose to join the University of Southern California in 2022, where she is pursuing a degree in Communication.
Source: Instagram
About JuJu Watkins' siblings
JuJu grew alongside two brothers, Dami and Mali, and one sister, Mar Watkins. In a June 30, 2024, interview with Devon Rodriguez, the basketball guard revealed that she would play basketball with her older brothers in their backyard. She said,
My earliest memory was always playing in the backyard with my brothers. I grew up with two bigger brothers, so. They were just big and strong so that was always an advantage. But now they're scared to play me.
A look at JuJu Watkins' college basketball career
At the University of Southern California, Watkins set the USC freshman scoring record at 920 points, 27.1 ppg, and won a Naismith and Wooden Awards for the 2024-2025 season. She also led USC to the Elite Eight before an ACL tear in the NCAA Tournament.
Watkins also earned two-time MaxPreps Player of the Year, WBCA High School Player of the Year, and Co-MVP at the 2023 McDonald's All-American Game, while playing for Cal Swish. Internationally, she won gold at the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Source: Instagram
Trivia
- JuJu suffered an ACL tear during a USC game against Mississippi State.
- The American Point Guard is rumoured to be in a relationship with DJ Wagner, an American college basketball player.
Final word
JuJu Watkins' parents, Sari Watkins and Robert Neal-Watkins, have a legacy that endures through their daughter's award-studded career. Her father nurtured her basketball dream by training her in their backyard while her mother kept her grounded through her fame.
READ MORE: Who are Kysre Gondrezick's parents?
Briefly.co.za shared an article about Kysre Gondrezick, an American professional basketball player and model. She previously played for the Chicago Sky of the WNBA. She was born to ex-NBA player Grant Gondrezick and NCAA champion Lisa Harvey-Gondrezick.
Her father, Grant, played for the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers before his death in January 2021. She was raised with siblings Kalabrya and Grant II, who play college basketball.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
