JuJu Watkins' ACL injury draws 'devastated' Magic Johnson admission
03/25/2025 12:23 PM
When JuJu Watkins tore her ACL on Monday, the USC women’s basketball program and the entire country were in shock. One of those was NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
He’s raved about Watkins’s game ever since she stepped onto the USC campus. He took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a heartfelt response to her injury.
“Devastated to hear the news that Juju Watkins tore her ACL last night,” the post reads. “I'm praying for a speedy recovery, but I know Juju is a competitor and will be back stronger and better!”
The mantra around the country is that Watkins will come back stronger and better than she was before. However, it doesn’t make the injury sting any less.
As a sophomore, she was making USC basketball history. She helped the Trojans secure the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Not to mention, Watkins led the Big Ten in scoring, after leading the previously Pac-12 conference in scoring the season prior.
Her team will be without their best player for the remainder of the tournament. Also, her timetable to return at this point is still unknown.
Magic Johnson wishes USC women’s basketball JuJu Watkins good vibes
Injuries are too commonplace within sports. In basketball, an ACL tear is one of the most unfortunate injuries one can have. Furthermore, Watkins’s injury was a non-contact injury.
Still, the Trojans might have a chance in the tournament. Head coach Lindsey Gottlieb has shown her coaching acumen and prowess.
Also, they have Kiki Iriafen, one of the top players in the upcoming 2025 WNBA Draft class. No matter what, it doesn’t eliminate the impact of her injury.
Funny enough, Gottlieb dropped an inspiring locker room speech following Watkins’s injury. It showed that USC women’s basketball is using this as an inspiring message.
Going back to Johnson though, he wasn’t the only one who sent her well wishes. One of those was former Trojans legend Lisa Leslie. She also took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a similar response to Johnson.
The basketball community is rallying behind the sophomore phenom. Again, there’s no timetable for when she’ll return to action. For the USC women’s basketball star, finding some clarity in the madness might be a good start.
Luckily, Paige Bueckers went through the same injury. She might be able to provide the rising star with some insight on recovering from an ACL injury.
At the end of the day, support will continue to fly in for Watkins.
The post JuJu Watkins’ ACL injury draws ‘devastated’ Magic Johnson admission appeared first on ClutchPoints.
