Juju officially out for season

[Vowelguy]

I was wrong on this -- thought she'd push hard to be back around Jan/Feb.

Likely good for her longterm health.

 

[Vowelguy]

USC’s JuJu Watkins to Miss 2025-26 Season to Focus on Recovery - USC Athletics

USC women's basketball All-American JuJu Watkins announced that she will not compete during the 2025-26 season to focus on her recovery from the season-endin...

usctrojans.com

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm not surprised. I think it's a smart decision.

 

[Reypl21]

It makes the most sense. Look at Olivia Miles' return from her ACL. She came back even better with a long period of time between her injury. Coming back to play a couple of months doesn't make much sense.

 

[DEpup]

This was inevitable. Maybe they held the release for some sort of financial obligation or they were living in denial. The math was never going to add up to her playing this season since the injury happened during the tournament and recovery is about 12 months.

 

[JellyBean]

Good call by JuJu and her team (family and medical). No point in rushing back too soon.

 

[BRS24]

Gone (mostly) are the days where players rush back, aka Kelly Jolly, and are now looking to the future. I'm glad that she's taking the year off. Look what Paige and Azzi did, in order to ensure that they were p&m ready to play. With the W in her future, and present NIL opportunities, Juju is making the correct call.

 

[oldude]

I am not sure why returning this coming season was even a consideration. Watkins is too valuable a player to ever risk bringing her back early for what…..A remote chance at a title run?

 

[Dillon77]

I am not sure why returning this coming season was even a consideration. Watkins is too valuable a player to ever risk bringing her back early for what…..A remote chance at a title run?

Recently, I can't recall prominent players coming back from late season/NCAA playoff injuries of this nature. Too important to get it right and tight: Paige and Azzi, Olivia Miles and Bri Turner from two teams I pay attention to....Good luck to JuJu on her recovery.

 

[cancontent]

I am not sure why returning this coming season was even a consideration. Watkins is too valuable a player to ever risk bringing her back early for what…..A remote chance at a title run?

I think it was fans like us discussing the topic more than anything else. Don't recall reading anything that came from Watkins or her family that talked about her plans for the season.

 

[oldude]

I think it was fans like us discussing the topic more than anything else. Don't recall reading anything that came from Watkins or her family that talked about her plans for the season.

As recently as one week ago, Lindsay Gottlieb indicated that Watkins was, “doing great in her rehab, but there was no timetable for her return.” So at some level, the door was slightly ajar with the possibility that Watkins might have returned at some point this coming season. Wisely, that door now appears to be shut until the 2026-27 season.