USC star JuJu Watkins says she'll be out for the season as she recovers from ACL injury

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Southern California star JuJu Watkins announced on social media that she will be sidelined for the season after suffering an ACL injury in the NCAA Tournament last season.

“These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest, and reflection,” Watkins said on Instagram. “Recovering from this injury hasn’t been easy, and I want to say thank you — your love, support and kind words have truly lifted me up during one of the most challenging times in my life. Because you’ve been with me every step of the way, I wanted you to hear it from me directly that following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love.”

The USC junior was the AP Player of the Year last season after leading the Trojans to their best season in 40 years. Watkins became just the fourth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007) and UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014). The AP started giving out the award in 1995, and Watkins is the first Trojans player to win it.

“JuJu’s health and well-being are our top priority, and we fully support her decision to focus on recovery this season,” USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “While we will certainly miss her impact on the court, she continues to play a vital role in our program as a leader and teammate. The strength and maturity she has shown through this process is a reflection of who she is, and we know the Trojan Family will continue to rally behind her. We look forward to the day she returns to competition stronger than ever.”

The star guard isn't eligible for the WNBA draft next year. Under current league rules, a U.S. player must be at least 22 years old in the year of the draft or have graduated from a four-year school within three months of the draft to be eligible.

Watkins is already in the top 10 on USC’s career scoring list, ranking ninth. She was averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists before her season was cut short in the NCAA Tournament with the ACL injury suffered in the second round against Mississippi State.

USC enters the season as the defending Big Ten regular season champions and has advanced to back-to-back NCAA Elite Eight appearances.

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