JuJu Watkins is back for her senior year at USC, 19 months after tearing her ACL in the 2025 NCAA tournament. The nation’s No. 1 recruit and former consensus national player of the year missed the entire 2025–26 season while rehabbing, during which USC finished 18–14 and exited the tournament in the second round. Now, with Watkins healthy and USC ranked third nationally, expectations are soaring.
Coach Lindsay Gottlieb says her impact is more palpable than ever. Watkins, likely the No. 1 pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft, says the injury forced her to reset and reconnect with her love for the game. She opens the season Monday against UNLV at T-Mobile Arena, aiming not just to return to form — but to surpass it.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing