One of the biggest bummers of this year’s women’s March Madness was the unfortunate injury sustained by USC’s JuJu Watkins. The 19-year-old star tore her ACL in the second round and missed the rest of the tournament because of it. The Trojans put up a valiant effort in JuJu’s absence but were eliminated by the UConn Huskies, who went on to become the 2025 National Champions.
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While every injury is tough for an athlete, Watkins is keeping a strong head about it, according to Phil Handy. The former Lakers trainer turned Unrivaled coach revealed during an appearance on All The Smoke that Watkins is already focused on making a return. “The first couple of days for her were really tough just from a mental standpoint,” Handy stated.
The good news is that the mental block didn’t last long. “She’s on the other side of that now. She’s like, ‘Phil, I’m ready. I’mma come back stronger.” He later broke down how dangerous of a threat JuJu would be once her basketball IQ reached the same level as her on-the-court skills. This prompted host Matt Barnes to compare the USC talent to an NBA legend.
“It’s Kobe-esque,” stated the 2017 NBA Champion. “That next level. That mental side.” Barnes and Handy both agreed that if JuJu could elevate her IQ and dominate the psyche of her opponents the same way Kobe did, she could be “the best ever.”
"The first couple days for her were really tough."
Phil Handy shares his recent conversations with JuJu Watkins & Kyrie Irving 👀
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The NCAA thought so as well. JuJu was given the Wooden Award for Player of the Year in women’s college basketball. She more than earned it. This season she averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Her immaculate play helped the Trojans climb to the No. 1 seed in their conference.
How is JuJu recovering from the ACL tear?
Watkins spoke with Sports Illustrated on April 6th and opened up about the ACL tear, which threw a wrench in her tremendous campaign with the Trojans. But as Handy mentioned, her mental strength was on full display in how she spoke about her injury.
“I’m a firm believer in ‘everything happens for a reason,’” Watkins said. “I think my first week, I was just in complete shock. It’s the first time I’ve dealt with this type of adversity.”
“So I’m really just getting prepared for what’s to come and ready to just get to work and get to work in rehab, so I’m back on the floor with my teammates.”
As of now, JuJu Watkins is expected to be sidelined for the 2025-2026 season. That said, her incredible fight and determination to get back on the court might help cut that timeframe down.
