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yesterday

JuJu Watkins to Miss 2025–26 Season to Continue ACL Recovery

USC says the AP Player of the Year will follow doctors’ guidance to prioritize rehab.

Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during pregame warmups before an NCAA Tournament game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Los Angeles on March 24, 2025.
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Overview

  • Watkins announced on Instagram, and USC confirmed, that she will sit out the entire season to focus on recovery from her March ACL tear.
  • She tore the ACL in her right knee on March 24 against Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament, and this decision ends speculation about a late-season return.
  • Coach Lindsay Gottlieb said the program fully supports Watkins’ choice and noted she will remain a leader with the team during her rehab.
  • USC will lean on No. 1 recruit Jazzy Davidson, returning sophomore Kennedy Smith, and transfers such as Kara Dunn and Londynn Jones as it reshapes its rotation.
  • The 2025 Naismith and Wooden Award winner averaged 23.9 points last season and is not eligible for the WNBA draft until 2027 unless she graduates early.