JuJu Watkins may be sitting out of this NCAA season, but that doesn't mean she's spending 2025-26 on the sidelines. The USC women's basketball star is now making off-court history as the first student-athlete to become an investor in a professional women's sports team, becoming the latest notable name to join Boston Legacy FC's investor group.
Watkins is now among a star-studded lineup of investors that includes other athletes such as Caleb Williams, Aly Raisman, and fellow women's basketball player Aliyah Boston. Watkins revealed her reason for her decision in a statement released by the Legacy.
“Boston Legacy FC is creating a space for women to achieve, lead, and inspire others at the highest level, and I'm proud to be a part of the movement pushing women's sports forward,” Watkins said.
The Legacy's controlling owner Jennifer Epstein added her own thoughts in the team's announcement, endorsing Watkins' addition to the investor group.
“JuJu's involvement marks a groundbreaking moment for women's sports and the power of NIL (name, image, likeness),” Epstein said.
“As the first college athlete to directly invest in a women's professional sports team, she's showing that today's student-athletes aren't just building their own brands — they're shaping the future of the game. We're thrilled to welcome JuJu to Boston Legacy FC as we build momentum toward our inaugural 2026 season and home opener on March 14, 2026,” Epstein's statement concluded.
Watkins is the latest in a growing list of current and former women's basketball players investing in professional women's sports. Outside of Boston's involvement with the Legacy, Sabrina Ionescu joined Bay FC’s ownership group earlier this year, and retired stars like Candace Parker and Sue Bird have also purchased equity stakes in sports franchises.
Boston Legacy FC is set to take the pitch at Gillette Stadium for its first-ever season in Spring 2026 after an eventful journey in establishing the club. NWSL players originally criticized the organization for its initial team rollout, which led to a name change. The franchise then went on to lock down its first head coach in May and its official logo in June.
