Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-31**Lead**
LOS ANGELES — USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins said Wednesday that she has already dreamed of scoring her first basket since tearing her ACL during the NCAA Tournament in March, as the Trojans prepare for a season that could end the program's four-decade national title drought. The sophomore guard, who led USC to the Elite Eight before her injury, spoke publicly for the first time about her rehabilitation timeline and her determination to return stronger.
**Context**
Watkins, a 6-foot-2 guard from Los Angeles, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during USC's second-round NCAA Tournament game against Mississippi State on March 24, 2026. The injury occurred with just over two minutes remaining in the first half when Watkins drove to the basket and collapsed to the floor without contact. She was immediately helped off the court and later confirmed the tear via MRI. At the time of her injury, Watkins was averaging 24.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, making her a leading candidate for National Player of the Year honors.
USC went on to lose in the Elite Eight to eventual national champion UConn, 78-69, without Watkins on the floor. The Trojans have not won a women's basketball national championship since 1986, when Cheryl Miller led the program to its second consecutive title. Since then, USC has made only one Final Four appearance, in 1994, and has not returned to the national semifinals since Watkins arrived on campus.
Watkins underwent surgery in early April and has been rehabbing at USC's training facility in Los Angeles. In a video released by the program on Wednesday, Watkins said she has already begun light shooting drills and has been cleared to do stationary ball-handling work. "I've dreamed about that first basket since the moment I got hurt," Watkins said in the video. "I know exactly what it's going to feel like. I've visualized it a thousand times."
**Analysis**
Watkins' recovery timeline is critical for USC's championship aspirations. The Trojans return four of five starters from last season's Elite Eight team, including All-Pac-12 guard Kayla Padilla and forward Rayah Marshall. However, the team's offensive system is built around Watkins' ability to create shots off the dribble and draw double-teams. Without her, USC's offense struggled in the postseason, averaging just 64 points per game in the final two rounds of the tournament.
USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who took over the program in 2021, has built a roster designed to compete for a national title. The Trojans have the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation for 2027, according to ESPN, and have added two transfers from Power Five programs. But the team's success still hinges on Watkins' health. "JuJu is the heart of this team," Gottlieb said in a statement. "Her leadership, her work ethic, her ability to make everyone around her better — that's irreplaceable. But we've built a program that can win even when she's not on the floor."
Watkins' injury has also sparked a broader conversation about the physical toll of the modern women's college basketball schedule. The NCAA has faced criticism for the compressed calendar, which includes conference tournaments, the NCAA Tournament, and international competitions like the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. Watkins played 38 games last season, averaging 34.2 minutes per game, and also participated in USA Basketball's U19 training camp in July 2025. Sports medicine experts have noted that non-contact ACL injuries are often linked to fatigue and overuse, though no direct cause has been established in Watkins' case.
**Why this matters**
Watkins' return is not just about USC's title hopes — it is about the future of women's college basketball. Watkins is widely considered the most marketable player in the sport since Caitlin Clark, with NIL deals worth an estimated $1.2 million annually, according to On3. Her injury sidelined her during a critical period for the sport's growth, as the NCAA women's basketball tournament saw record viewership in 2026, with the championship game drawing 12.4 million viewers on ESPN.
If Watkins returns to full strength, she could lead USC to its first Final Four in more than three decades and potentially challenge for a national title. If her recovery is slower than expected, the Trojans may need to rely on a more balanced offensive attack, which could limit their ceiling in March. USC opens the 2026-27 season on November 10 against Stanford at the Galen Center.
**Sources**
- USC Athletics official release on JuJu Watkins' injury and rehabilitation (April 2026) - ESPN women's basketball coverage of the 2026 NCAA Tournament - On3 NIL valuation data for JuJu Watkins - NCAA women's basketball viewership data (2026 championship game) - Interview with USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb (USC Athletics media availability, October 2026) - Sports medicine analysis of non-contact ACL injuries in basketball (American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, 2025)