The USC Trojans women’s basketball will receive a major boost this season with the return of superstar guard JuJu Watkins.
Watkins, a two-time All-American and 2025 Naismith Player of the Year, missed all of last season with a torn ACL she suffered in March 2025 during the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Mississippi State. It effectively ended a season where the Trojans were a No. 1 seed after winning the Big Ten regular season title and had national championship aspirations.
Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins during pregame warmup before an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
In her absence, the Trojans endured a frustrating 18-14 finish, which included being a one-and-done in the Big Ten Tournament after a loss to Washington. They were a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament and suffered a 40-point blowout loss to South Carolina in the second round.
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Watkins revealed on Monday when she spoke to the media at USC for the first time since her devastating injury that she has been scrimmaging as the Trojans eight-week summer session rolls.
“I feel really great, really blessed to be here, feeling back like myself and being able to practice with the team,” Watkins said. “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve just been working out, grinding every day so that I could be in this position. So, to see all the hard work kind of pay off right now, it’s really fulfilling.”
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb didn’t hold back when talking about Watkins’ journey back to the court.
“It’s amazing to be coaching a basketball team with JuJu Watkins,” Gottlieb said. She’s just an incredible human being, first and foremost. And to be part of the process of witnessing the work she put in as a human being, as an athlete, as a basketball player, it’s just something I think I’ll never forget.”
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Elevating Game After Injury
Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Watkins arrived at USC as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class and a ton of notoriety coming out of Sierra Canyon (Calif.). She has more than lived up to the billing and Gottlieb believes Watkins will take another step after the injury because of her approach to the rehab process.
“Watch out in terms of her physical makeup,” Gottlieb said. “She’s stronger, faster, in her best shape ever because of the way she approached the work and then the mental side right of it, right? The talks about basketball, what she’s seeing that you can’t possibly see when you’re on the floor, being JuJu.
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“She had to take a different route. All of it was something you had to be there to really see it. I’m grateful that she’s back now, but I think the work she put in is something that is going to speak volume.”
Watkins was able to lean on Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who suffered a torn ACL before the start of her third season at UConn. Bueckers bounced back the following season and led the Huskies to a berth in the Final Four and then led them to national championship in her final season.
“Paige was a big person for me,” Watkins said. “She was constantly checking up on me. Send me texts, just encouraging me, so I really appreciate that.”
University of Southern California forward Jazzy Davidson (9) Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Watkins will pair with sophomore guard Jazzy Davidson, who similar to herself, was the No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school. Davidson was sensational as a freshman. She led the Trojans in points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals per game, which earned her Freshman of the Year honors.
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“Her relationship with Jazzy I think is something that just grew organically,” Gottlieb said. “But JuJu was acutely aware of the fact that you can’t know what it likes to be going through what Jazzy went through unless you’re someone like JuJu who handled that as well. She made sure to pour into that relationship and that was something pretty neat to see as well.”
Davidson spoke about what the return of Watkins means for USC.
“She’s an amazing individual player, but she also elevated everybody around her,” Davidson said. “I think where you have someone like that on your team, it’s super special and it’s kind of an intangible.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Trojans Guard JuJu Watkins Hits Major Milestone in Injury Recovery.
