-- Premiering Nov. 23 at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT on NBC and Peacock before USC vs Notre Dame, The Docu-Series Follows Big Ten Star JuJu Watkins’ Journey from High School to College --
-- Watkins Becomes First Collegiate Women’s Basketball Player to Star in and Executive Produce Her Own Show --
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11, 2024 – UNINTERRUPTED, 4.4.Forty Media and State FarmⓇ present “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins,” a new, original documentary series starring college basketball superstar JuJu Watkins. Considered to be “one of the best women’s basketball players to ever touch a basketball,” JuJu recently became the all-time leading scorer among freshmen in Division I history and led the University of Southern California (USC) to the Elite Eight for the first time in three decades. Throughout six episodes, JuJu, her family and friends give viewers an exclusive look into USC Trojans guards’ life and journey on and off the court.
The first two episodes will premiere Saturday, Nov. 23, at 3:00 p.m. ET/Noon PT on NBC and Peacock, followed by the matchup between Watkins and No. 3 USC against No. 6 Notre Dame at 4:00 p.m. ET live on NBC and Peacock. Episodes three through six will be released exclusively on Peacock for the remainder of the season. All episodes will also be available on the NBC Sports FAST Channel, which is available on Peacock and all major FAST channel distributors.
Click HERE for series key art and episodic images.
“‘On the Rise: JuJu Watkins’ isn’t only about sports - it shows how JuJu’s deep connection to her family and community drive her decision making and dedication to basketball,” said Chief Content Officer of UNINTERRUPTED Jamal Henderson. “UNINTERRUPTED is committed to delivering unrivaled, intimate access to the lives of athletes and we are excited to have like-minded partners in State Farm, 4.4.Forty Media, KLUTCH and NBC for this amazing project.”
“JuJu can set the standard for excellence on and off the court, and it’s amazing to see her begin to maximize the opportunities in front of her with strategy and expertise, even at this young age,” said Founder and CEO of KLUTCH Sports Group Rich Paul. “This documentary series captures her incredible journey to this point, showcasing her extraordinary talent, unwavering work ethic, and the vital role of community in her success.”
Featuring guest appearances by 2 Chainz, Candace Parker, The Game, Tina Thompson and more, each episode gives viewers a look behind the scenes as the 19-year-old pushes herself to greatness on the court and navigates the world of N.I.L., all while staying grounded and connected to her close-knit family and community of Watts. Watch as the 2022 No.1 high school basketball player in the country goes to school dances, makes big college decisions, and handles the pressures of newfound superstardom, all while her parents, Sari and Bobby, support her along the way.
“From the beginning it was important that ‘On the Rise: JuJu Watkins’ shine a light on the real challenges and triumphs that JuJu and her family have faced along this journey,” said Danny Barton, 4.4.Forty Media Executive Producer and KLUTCH Sports’ VP of Sports Content. “We’re grateful to our partners and NBC Sports for sharing JuJu’s inspirational story as she becomes the first collegiate women’s basketball player to star in and executive produce her own show.”
“On the Rise: JuJu Watkins” is executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Devin Johnson, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron for UNINTERRUPTED. JuJu Watkins and Rich Paul of KLUTCH Sports, and Danny Barton of 4.4.Forty Media, will also executive produce. Nikki Spetseris is the showrunner, and Amy Glickman Brown is co-executive producer for UNINTERRUPTED.
Follow JuJu on Instagram and TikTok, and stay connected to @UNINTERRUPTED and @NBCSports for the latest on the show and each episode.
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ABOUT JUJU WATKINS
JuJu Watkins is a guard at the University of Southern California (USC) in her sophomore season. In her record-breaking first collegiate season, JuJu shattered a long-standing Pac-12 record by being named Freshman of the Week for 13 times. She also passed Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie for the most 30-point games by a USC freshman in program history. Most notably, JuJu broke the record for most points scored by a freshman in Division I history, breaking Tina Hutchinson’s record from 1983-84. In 2024, JuJu was named USBWA National Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and received the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. Additionally, she became an AP First-Team All-American, WBCA Coaches All-American, All-Pac-12 Team, Pac-12 All Defensive Team, and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. Her other accolades include McDonald’s All-American, two-time FIBA gold medalist, and the 2022-23 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Off the court, JuJu is active in the community and dedicated to carrying on the legacy of her grandfather, Ted Watkins Sr., who founded the Watts Labor Community Action Committee Center to tell the story of racial injustice and empower individuals with tools to create change after the 1965 Watts Riots. JuJu is the face of national campaigns for brands like Nike, AT&T and NYX, and loves to share her passions for fashion and giving back with her 1.2M+ followers on social media.
ABOUT UNINTERRUPTED
UNINTERRUPTED is the award-winning athlete storytelling brand, within The SpringHill Company (TSHC), founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, that combines revolutionary content, experiences and consumer products. Since 2015, the UNINTERRUPTED brand has existed to partner with athletes to invite the sports community to celebrate the humanity in sport through culturally connected content. UNINTERRUPTED original content properties and franchises include Top Class, Iman Amongst Men and more. The award-winning studio team for the UNINTERRUPTED brand develops and produces high-quality sports-centered television, film, and theatrical releases with the biggest creators, brands and platforms in the world. All UNINTERRUPTED studio projects are empowerment led, where content isn’t simply to entertain, but to inspire with thought-provoking themes, conversations and journeys. Studio projects within the unscripted and documentary space for UNINTERRUPTED include Starting 5, Untold: Sign Stealer, What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali, Greatness Code, Top Class, Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts, The Redeem Team and more. For more information visit www.uninterrupted.com and follow @UNINTERRUPTED on social media.
ABOUT 4.4.FORTY MEDIA4.4.Forty Media is a sports content production company uniquely positioned to amplify powerful and culture-defining human stories in and around the world of sports. Leveraging the combined ecosystems of UTA, KLUTCH Sports Group, and ROOF, 4.4.Forty’s mission is to marry athletes and creators to produce premium content and entertainment across all platforms. Operating at the intersection of entertainment and sports, 4.4.Forty is currently in development and production on multiple projects across unscripted, digital, and podcasts.
ABOUT KLUTCH SPORTS GROUP
Founded in 2012 by CEO Rich Paul, KLUTCH Sports Group is a premier agency representing some of the world’s biggest athletes across major professional sports. KLUTCH’s unique, 360 approach helps clients at any stage of their career maximize opportunities across the rapidly changing entertainment, media, and business landscape, and provides strategic support in partnerships, branding, communications, social responsibility, and more. With proven expertise in the intersections of sports, entertainment, and culture, KLUTCH connects top teams, major leagues, and properties with global brands. In 2019, KLUTCH partnered with the leading global talent and entertainment company UTA, and in 2024, was named one of GQ’s 20 Most Creative Companies in the World.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS
NBC Sports connects people to the moments that matter most and serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports presents premier content across linear platforms NBC, USA Network, GOLF Channel, as well numerous digital sites, including Peacock. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, Big Ten Conference, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, Notre Dame, The R&A, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, Tour de France, and many more. It also consists of NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology within its three groups: Youth & Recreational Sports, Golf, and Betting & Gaming.
ABOUT STATE FARM®:
For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.
CONTACTS:
Chantal Romain, KLUTCH Sports Group, cromain@klutchgroup.com
Terrece Walker, UNINTERRUPTED, twalker@thespringhillco.com
Jake Gellerman NBC Sports, jake.gellerman@nbcuni.com
Rachael Risinger, State Farm, rachael.risinger.tqil@statefarm.com
