Juju Watkins Injury: One Year After ACL Tear, USC Star Channels Recovery Into a Co-Created Nike Shoe
LOS ANGELES — The juju watkins injury hit its one-year mark on Tuesday (ET) as the USC guard remains sidelined after tearing the ACL in her right knee last March during an NCAA Tournament second-round game against Mississippi State. Even without playing this season, Watkins has stayed in the middle of USC’s push by serving as a voice for teammates while continuing rehabilitation. At the same time, she has stepped into a new off-court spotlight, helping create a Nike shoe that is now being celebrated back in Watts.
Where things stand now for the Juju Watkins Injury timeline
On a warm February day in Watts (ET timeframe referenced in the reporting), Watkins appeared at a community celebration where her first designed shoe was displayed inside a local Nike store. Her USC teammates attended, along with the Sierra Canyon High School girls basketball team, turning the event into a homecoming moment even as her season remains on pause.
The milestone comes with Watkins still out of the lineup after the ACL tear in her right knee last March. Tuesday marks one year since the injury, a date that continues to hang over USC’s season and trajectory as the Trojans navigate March without their star.
USC’s tournament path as Watkins watches from the sideline
Watkins is rooting for USC to advance as far as possible in the women’s NCAA Tournament. USC entered as a No. 9 seed in the Sacramento region and is fresh off a 71-67 overtime win against eighth-seeded Clemson on Saturday (ET), a result that snapped a four-game losing streak. The Trojans (18-13) are set to face South Carolina on Monday (ET).
USC’s season has unfolded entirely with Watkins sidelined, forcing the roster to recalibrate after last year’s high bar. The team’s late-season skid included a first-round exit in the Big Ten tournament in a close loss to the Washington Huskies, before the NCAA Tournament win kept the season alive.
In the opening-round victory, freshman Jazzy Davidson scored 31 points in her March Madness debut (ET), a breakout that helped push USC into the second round despite the absence created by the juju watkins injury.
Immediate reactions: Watkins on rehab, leadership, and listening to her body
Watkins described her current mindset in an interview, emphasizing both urgency and patience as she works back.
“I’m in a really good place, ” said JuJu Watkins, USC guard. “Just being able to pour into my teammates and having such a strong support system, that’s got me through this moment and through this time. I’m continuing to go through it, but not taking any day for granted. Trying to get out there as soon as I can, but also listening to my body. I’m still growing as a player, even though I’m not out there. ”
She also explained how she stays mentally engaged during games while on the bench.
“When I’m on the bench I’m imagining myself in certain situations, helping my teammates while they’re playing and seeing how I can play certain things when I get back, ” Watkins said. “So, just that, and then, just the overall maturity for the game. You know, not taking any moment for granted, as well. ”
Quick context: How the injury halted an award-winning season
Watkins was injured last March at the 4: 43 mark of the first quarter in the Spokane Regional contest against Mississippi State when she was fouled on a fast-break drive, went down, and clutched her right knee. Before the injury, she was averaging 23. 9 points, 6. 8 rebounds, 3. 4 assists, 2. 2 steals, and 1. 8 blocks, and earned multiple accolades, including the Naismith College Player of the Year, the Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award, and the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year.
What’s next: A summer release, and a comeback still in motion
Watkins has used her time away from the court to work with Nike on her first designed shoe: the LeBron NXXT Gen by JuJu “Silver Lining, ” co-created by Watkins and LeBron James. The shoe is expected to be released to the public for purchase this summer (ET timeframe referenced in the reporting), extending a year in which recovery has run alongside visibility.
As USC prepares for its next NCAA Tournament game, the closing reality is unchanged: the team is still navigating March without its star, while the juju watkins injury remains the central line between what this season is and what next season could become.
