Five hundred and eighty-eight days after suffering a season-ending knee injury, USC star JuJu Watkins made a triumphant return to the court, demonstrating the skills and presence that have positioned the Trojans as national title contenders. Watkins scored 21 points in 25 minutes during USC's dominant 100-68 victory over UNLV on Monday, marking her first game since the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Her return began with a signature play, a pump-fake followed by a baseline drive and a bank shot off the glass. "The game is just better with her in it and I think she’ll continue to get even just sharper, more comfortable," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "Obviously, she’s a very, very uniquely talented weapon out there and opens things up for other people as well."

Beyond her scoring, Watkins contributed across the board with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. She demonstrated her playmaking ability with a cross-court pass for a layup and a hustle play to save a ball from going out of bounds, leading to another score. Despite the long absence, Watkins was the last USC player introduced, receiving a roaring ovation from the crowd.

The Trojans showcased a deep and talented roster, with multiple players making strong debuts. Saniyah Hall scored 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including a step-back 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer. Jazzy Davidson added 23 points, shooting 10-of-11 from the field and repeatedly attacking the basket. Sitaya Fagan contributed 11 points in her first college game after sitting out the previous season due to injury.

USC shot an efficient 58.8% from the field and forced 24 turnovers. Hall and Davidson, in particular, impressed in their collegiate debuts, playing alongside Watkins, a former national freshman of the year.

"Just seeing all the hard work she put in all throughout last season to get healthy and to get better and on top of that just the way she was there for all of us and she was a great mentor to me," Davidson said of Watkins. "It was amazing."

Watkins played under a minutes restriction as part of her recovery plan. Gottlieb expressed confidence in her continued improvement, noting that Watkins "physically looks great explosive-wise and all that, it’s just finding that rhythm and then I think we’ll see even more shots go down."

Even as other teammates shined, the primary focus remained on Watkins' return, with her performance confirming that the highly anticipated comeback was indeed worth the wait for the USC program and its fans.