JuJu Watkins has reportedly suffered a torn ACL in her right knee, in a terrible blow for USC and women’s college basketball.
The 19-year-old was carried off the court in agony during Monday night’s game against Mississippi State in the second round of March Madness.
According to ESPN, Watkins will undergo surgery on the season-ending injury, which occurred as she raced towards the hoop with two defenders guarding her.
The Trojans player was slightly bumped by a defender, and her right knee subsequently appeared to buckle when she planted her leg, sending her tumbling to the ground in extreme pain.
Watkins could be seen writhing on the floor immediately afterwards as her teammates crowded around her.
USC soon ruled her out of the game and ESPN’s Holly Rowe said that Watkins was wheeled out of the Galen Center (where the game was played) and taken to a medical center for an MRI.
Juju Watkins was left writhing on the ground in pain after the injury on Monday night
Watkins’ knee appeared to buckle after she was bumped while driving to the hoop
Watkins had three points before exiting in the second quarter. The injury came with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in the crowd.
The pair sparked romance rumors after being spotted sitting together after USC’s victory over UNC Greensboro in Los Angeles.
Beyond USC’s Galen Center, several stars of women’s basketball expressed their concern for the rising player.
‘Prayers for Juju!,’ Angel Reese wrote. ‘Prayers up,’ Aaliyah Boston said.
Two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart also posted three prayer-hands emojis in an apparent reference to Watkins.
Stewart, a sophomore for USC, is a two-time All-American and considered one of the rising stars of women’s basketball.
She averaged 24.6 points this regular season (the second-highest in women’s D1) to go along with seven rebounds and 3.5 assists.
USC went on to beat Mississippi State 96-59 in her absence, but things got chippy between the teams in the post-game handshake line.
Words were exchanged between the teams though things did not escalate further.
