USC junior guard JuJu Watkins confirmed Sunday on Instagram that she will not play this season. Watkins suffered a torn ACL injury in March during the second round of the NCAA tournament against Missouri State.
“These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest, and reflection,” Watkins said in her post. “Recovering from this injury hasn’t been easy, and I want to say thank you — your love, support and kind words have truly lifted me up during one of the most challenging times in my life. Because you’ve been with me every step of the way, I wanted you to hear it from me directly that, following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love."
Last season, Watkins added many awards to her trophy room. She was the women’s John R. Wooden Award winner and named AP women’s basketball Player of the Year as well as the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year, just to name a few.
The accolades came after Watkins averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game her sophomore season. Additionally, she led USC to its first Big Ten regular-season title. Despite the team dropping the Big Ten Tournament final to UCLA, Watkins was at the top of her game before her injury.
“JuJu’s health and well-being are our top priority, and we fully support her decision to focus on recovery this season,” USC head women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in a statement. “While we will certainly miss her impact on the court, she continues to play a vital role in our program as a leader and teammate. The strength and maturity she has shown through this process is a reflection of who she is, and we know the Trojan Family will continue to rally behind her. We look forward to the day she returns to competition stronger than ever.”
The loss of Watkins is a huge blow for USC women’s basketball. The impact of not having her was already showcased in the Final Four when USC ended up losing to UConn. Without Watkins this season, the Trojans will have a completely new starting five, as others have either transferred or graduated.
It’s not surprising that she’s sitting out this season, since most athletes usually do when they suffer an ACL injury. But after months of waiting for an update, the reality is tough for Trojan fans to swallow.