USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins has returned to practice, expressing gratitude and excitement after missing nearly a full season due to a torn ACL.
"It’s definitely been a whirlwind of emotions, but I’m just really grateful to be here sitting with you all today," Watkins told reporters Monday. The injury, suffered in March 2025, ended her team's potential Final Four run and kept her off the court for the entire subsequent season. Her return has generated significant optimism for the Trojans, considered national title contenders.
"Just seeing her on the court and moving around and stuff, it’s really surreal to see," said freshman Jazzy Davidson.
Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb noted that Watkins is not only back but physically improved. "Watch out in terms of her physical makeup – like, she’s stronger, faster, in her best shape ever," Gottlieb said, attributing the gains to Watkins' dedication during her recovery.
While details about her exact return timeline remain undisclosed, the expectation is that Watkins will be fully prepared for the Trojans' season opener. She emphasized cherishing every moment of being back, even the smallest aspects of team life. "Just being around everything. I don’t even know, just the smallest stuff gets me excited. Definitely being able to scrimmage again, it’s all I could ask for," she said.
Watkins acknowledged the support she received during her recovery, including from Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who also experienced a significant knee injury during her college career. "Honestly, Paige was a big person for me. She was constantly checking up on me, sending me texts, encouraging me. I really appreciated that," Watkins stated.
Observing her teammates compete without her, Watkins found ways to develop her basketball IQ. "Even though I wasn’t playing, just continuing to have my thinking cap on in terms of when I will be back, things I would do differently, things I would kind of bring back to the team, just trying to heighten my IQ as much as possible even though I’m not physically out there playing," she explained.
This season, Watkins will be joined by highly touted five-star prospects Sitaya Fagan and Saniyah Hall, alongside Davidson. Coach Gottlieb believes the combined talent will elevate the team's performance. "The idea is that all the talent that we have should make everybody more efficient and everybody’s lives a little easier," Gottlieb said.
Watkins has already accumulated significant accolades, including the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, and was named Big Ten Conference and Associated Press player of the year. She led the Trojans to a Big Ten title and became the fastest player in program history to reach 1,000 points. While she has two years of eligibility remaining, she is widely projected as the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft.
When asked about her signature game-day hairstyle, Watkins confirmed it would be making a comeback. "It’ll be back," she said with a smile.