JuJu Watkins returns from ACL injury, says she dreams every night about her first basket

JuJu Watkins, one of the brightest young stars in United States women's college basketball, is back on the court. The Southern California (USC) guard spent much of last season sidelined while rehabilitating a torn ACL.

Ahead of the new season, Watkins said she imagines every day what it will feel like when her first basket goes in. "It's on my mind every day," she said. "So much anticipation has gone into this year. I want it really badly, but also in a healthy way. I just want to have fun and really enjoy this year."

"I've had dreams about that every night. I might shed a tear, honestly, I can't lie," she added. "That'll be a really amazing feeling for me."

Watkins has already offered a glimpse of her return in preseason play. In USC's recent exhibition game against California, she scored 18 points in just 22 minutes.

In her first two seasons with USC, Watkins averaged 25.6 points per game. She now returns to a talented roster, with the No. 3 Trojans chasing their first national championship since 1984.

She will share the backcourt with Jazzy Davidson, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, who averaged 17.9 points last season. This will be their first season playing together, but the pair began building chemistry while Watkins recovered; during that time she could often be seen encouraging Davidson from the sideline.

"She saw me being hard on myself and I think she saw a little bit of her in me," Davidson said, "and so she kind of knew what it was like going through that. Being able to build the friendship that we were able to build, it's a huge blessing."

Watkins suffered the injury in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament against Mississippi State, and it ended her season.

The roster also features guard Saniyah Hall, who had 23 points, six rebounds and five steals in the exhibition, and forward Sara Okeke, one of three five-star recruits to join the team.

Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said of the newcomers: "They have proven that they're going to be really impactful players at a high level."

Even while unable to play last season, Watkins stayed close to the team, setting up chairs in the locker room for team talks on the road. "I was able to take on a leadership role for sure, and I can't say I really owned that role prior to that," she said.