JuJu Watkins Funko Pop lifting USC’s spirit during NCAA Tournament run without star

Yes, JuJu Watkins is out for the season and didn’t travel with Southern California for the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament. But you can still find her alongside her teammates.

It’s just a 4.7 inch-tall version of her.

As the Trojans try to make their first Final Four since 1986 without their star, who is recovering from her season-ending knee injury, they’ve made sure Watkins is included in the run as much as possible. They did it by wearing Nike shirts with Watkins’ signature bun before the Sweet 16 game against Kansas State, but their next tribute took all the attention: the Funko Pop.

The collector item of this generation, it’s fair to say Funko Pops are the measuring stick of whether a well-known person has achieved celebrity status. From fictional characters in shows, movies and video games to artists and athletes, having a Funko Pop of oneself is somewhat of a crowning achievement in the celebrity world.

But before the 2024-25 college basketball season began, no active college athlete had their own Funko Pop. That changed in November, when Funko announced Watkins would be the first active college player to have their own figurine − a testament to the talent and star power of Watkins.

Now flash forward four months later, and it’s stealing the show in the Spokane Regional. A Watkins Funko Pop was spotted on the USC bench against Kansas State. In the cardinal jersey with a basketball, her signature bun, necklace and the USC “Fight On” hand gesture, it couldn’t look anymore like Watkins.

“I didn’t even know the Funko Pop was going to be on the bench, and then I saw the clips of that, and I’m like, okay, that was crazy and so fun and funny,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said during a news conference Sunday. “That’s the best Funko Pop of all time. The bun is perfect, the whole thing.”

Why USC brought a JuJu Watkins Funko Pop to Spokane

People can thank freshman Rian Forestier for the newest sensation in the tournament. One of the most vocal players on the bench, Forestier was the one who thought of the idea and brought it to Spokane, a USC spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. Forestier was frequently seen holding the Funko Pop or having it next to her throughout the game.

Fellow freshman Kayleigh Heckel explained the reasoning behind having the figurine not only make the trip, but be on the bench was because the team wanted to make everything “as normal as possible.” Watkins can’t be there, but her spirit can.

“She’s been with us all season, so we just wanted to make it seem like she was here,” Heckel said. “She was watching us, supporting us at home, having a watch party with her family, so I think that it just helped us make everything a lot more normal.”

It certainly has been a weird time for USC to not have its star player around for the biggest games of the season. Gottlieb called it “uncharted territories,” but keeping Watkins’ spirit with them helps keep the belief and confidence of finishing the season strong.

Other than the Funko Pop, Watkins has been maintaining a presence. The team spoke to her before the game and also got to FaceTime her after the Sweet 16 win. Gottlieb said postgame there were a lot of smiles in the locker room talking to her after the victory.

After it brought so much “good Juju” on Saturday, Watkins Funko Pop will return to the sideline for USC’s Elite Eight matchup Monday night at 9 against Connecticut.

By the end of the night, maybe it will be nodding along as they cut down the nets and book that Final Four trip.

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