JuJu Watkins injury update: USC star reveals latest in her recovery process

After suffering a torn ACL in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, USC star JuJu Watkins now looks ahead to the recovery process. Due to the timing of the injury, she will likely miss most – if not all – of the 2025-26 season.

Initially, Watkins struggled to deal with such a devastating injury, which will require surgery. But she made it clear she’s keeping a strong mindset during the rehabilitation process so she can get back on the court as quickly as she can.

Watkins is also keeping things in perspective when it comes to one of the biggest hurdles she’ll have to overcome in her career. The next step will be recovering from the injury and, most importantly, coming back strong.

“I’m a firm believer in, ‘everything happens for a reason,'” Watkins said on College GameDay. “I think my first week, I was just in complete shock. It’s the first time I’ve dealt with this type of adversity. So I’m really just getting prepared for what’s to come and ready to just get to work and get to work in rehab so I’m back on the floor with my teammates.”

At the time of her injury, Watkins was in the midst of an impressive sophomore season while leading USC to a No. 1 seed. She was averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.

The Trojans went on to defeat Mississippi State in that second-round game in the NCAA Tournament, meaning they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. USC then saw its season come to an end in the Elite Eight, finishing the year with a 31-4 overall record.

All the while, JuJu Watkins looked on from afar. She pointed out the difficulty of that position, but she made sure to stay in touch with her teammates throughout their tournament run to let them know she was not only watching, but cheering, as well.

“It was a real emotional week for me,” Watkins said. “Seeing my team and all the teams play, it was tough on me. But just to see how they really stepped up – I mean, I wasn’t surprised at all by them stepping up because I know what they’re capable of.

“But to just see the love they showed me and letting them know I’m there in spirit. It was a great thing to watch and I’m so proud of all of them.”