JuJu Watkins’ torn ACL devastated the basketball word, which collectively held its breath Monday night during USC’s second-round game against Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament — and then watched as that spiraled into the sport’s worst nightmare.
Everyone from Angel Reese to Aliyah Boston to the broadcasters on ESPN reacted to the injury during the game, hoping that Watkins would be OK.
Watkins hurt her leg driving to the basket when she lost her footing and fell.
She immediately grabbed her leg and was in an immense amount of pain before eventually being carried off the court.
“Prayers for Juju!” Reese wrote on X, accompanied by a praying hands emoji and a sad face emoji.
“Prayers up,” Boston posted on her X along with the praying hands emoji.
“I pray juju ok hate to see it,” LSU basketball star Flau’jae Johnson wrote.
Watkins only had three points before she was injured, and ESPN broadcaster Elle Duncan lamented the fact the USC star wouldn’t be back on the court Monday night.
“We’re just gonna address the elephant in the room, this totally sucks,” Duncan said. “I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to say this not only changed the tenor of this game but potentially the tournament.”
In a statement released at halftime, the team said that Watkins was being evaluated by USC Keck Medicine staff and that she would not return to the game.
“She’s getting seen by our great medical team. We have a group, and a fan base and a team that’s going to have her back no matter what,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb told ESPN during the broadcast. “JuJu is the toughest kid I know and she’s gonna be good one way or another.”
