How Juju Watkins still brings 'positive vibes' to USC during Women's March Madness after injury

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb loves the positive energy from Juju Watkins, despite the latter’s season ending injury. The Trojans are set for a Sweet 16 game against Kansas State Saturday night.

A torn ACL ruined any hope that Watkins could return to the court this season. Now, it’s about the recovery for next year.

Still, Gottlieb sees a bright future for one of the stars of women’s college basketball. Not only that, her spirits are still high with her teammates trying to make a run for a national title.

“You know, she’s 19 years old, and has so much in front of her, but it’s hard,” Gottlieb said on Mad Dog Sports Radio. “You know, and I think she loves the game so much, and I think for the first time, to have it taken away from her, and she’s got to go through those emotions, and I have no doubt she’ll come out on the other side. But I think she’s sad, and at the same time, she’s giving nothing but positive vibes and energy to our team. 

“I think she’s proud of the rest of the players. She’s pulling for them as she would. (She’s) just (a) remarkable young person. But you know, I hope she can feel the love of everyone. Like you said the basketball community, I think, really kind of grieves with her over this and gives her a ton of love, but I hope she feels that because she’s given so much to the game and everyone else thus far in her young career.”

Running a fastbreak midway through the first quarter of the Second Round, Watkins went down heading toward their basket. She then laid on the court holding her right knee with an awful reaction to it in real time that suggested how serious it really was. After being tended to by team personnel, Watkins was then carried off by two people from the court of the Galen Center and obviously did not return to the game for ‘SC as she was taken to a hospital for an MRI.

This is shocking news across the sport of women’s college basketball. It’s obviously devastating for Watkins, arguably the best player in the game, as well as for one of the No. 1 seeds in the bracket with USC and the city of Los Angeles with what it does to their hopes of winning the Women’s NCAA Tournament. It’s just as jarring for the rest of the game as well with many sending love her way from all over, including from names like LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese.

Watkins exited the game with three points, all from free throws, with two assists, a rebound, and a turnover. That’s after Watkins, the favorite to win the Wooden Award, averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks as a sophomore this season at USC.