Speculation about a potential romance between USC women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has been swirling, but there’s no evidence the two are dating—especially after Daniels’ mother, Regina Jackson, made her presence felt at a recent NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game in Los Angeles. Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and a rising NFL star, was spotted courtside watching Watkins, a sophomore phenom, dominate in her Sweet 16 matchup against Maryland on March 28, 2025. After the game, ESPN cameras captured the two chatting in the stands, but the moment was quickly interrupted when Jackson sat between them, prompting a strong reaction from former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell.
Bell, a Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro, took to X to call out Jackson’s move, writing, “If juju not qualified, then who is? Lol.” His comment reflects the sentiment of many fans who see Watkins, a projected No. 1 WNBA Draft pick with significant NIL earnings—estimated at $1.2 million by On3—as a rising star in her own right, not someone chasing Daniels for his money. Watkins, who dropped 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists in the 79-68 win over Maryland, has been a sensation, leading USC to the Elite Eight while averaging 24.6 points per game this season. Daniels, meanwhile, has the Commanders in their first NFC Championship Game since 1991, throwing for 3,892 yards and 28 touchdowns in his rookie year.
The interaction reignited scrutiny of Jackson’s protective stance over her son. In Amazon Prime Video’s The Money Game, a docuseries following LSU athletes navigating NIL deals, Jackson was candid about her concerns before Daniels entered the NFL. When asked what worried her most, she replied, “Girls. Them girls,” signaling her wariness of women who might see her son as a “money bag” after his $37.7 million, four-year rookie contract with Washington. Her actions at the game—sitting between Daniels and Watkins—seemed to echo that sentiment, with some fans on X interpreting it as a clear message: she’s not letting anyone get too close to her son. One user quipped, “Mama Regina wants nobody trying to slide their way into Jayden Daniels’ bed and get a child out of him.”
Watkins and Daniels, both 22, have a history that fuels the speculation—they overlapped at USC in 2023, with Daniels leading the Trojans to an 11-1 record while Watkins was a freshman standout. Their shared Los Angeles ties and mutual respect were evident in their post-game chat, but Jackson’s intervention suggests she’s not ready to entertain any romance rumors. Bell’s comment, however, highlights the absurdity of viewing Watkins as a “gold digger”—she’s already a millionaire in her own right, with endorsement deals from Nike, Gatorade, and AT&T, and her WNBA future promises even more earnings.
For now, the focus should be on their respective careers. Watkins is two wins away from a Final Four berth, facing No. 2 UConn next, while Daniels is preparing for a showdown with the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship on January 19, 2026. Whether their courtside moment was a sign of something more or just a friendly catch-up, Jackson made one thing clear—she’s keeping a close eye on her son, and no one, not even a star like Watkins, is getting past her guard without a fight.
