Chicago Sky star Angel Reese joined fnas and supporters of USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins as the latter suffered a season-ending injury during their recent game against Mississippi.
Angel Reese went to X to express her support and thoughts for the recovery of USC star JuJu Watkins, who got injured in her recent game and was officially ruled out for the rest of the NCAA tournament.
JuJu Watkins sustained a season-ending injury in the NCAA Second Round on Monday night. She will undergo surgery and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter.
— USC Women’s Basketball (@USCWBB) March 25, 2025
“Prayers for Juju! 🥺🙏🏽” Reese posted.
Prayers for Juju! 🥺🙏🏽
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 25, 2025
The incident occurred as Watkins drove to the basket on a fast break between two defenders. While attempting to plant her leg, her right knee buckled, causing her to collapse to the floor. She immediately grabbed her knee in visible pain and had to be carried off the court. The injury happened just five minutes into the game, and Watkins was unable to return.
It was later confirmed that Watkins suffered a torn ACL in her right knee. USC announced that she would undergo surgery and begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter. This injury marked the end of her impressive season, where she had been averaging 24.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
Despite her absence, the Trojans rallied to secure a dominant 96-59 victory and advanced to the Sweet 16.
A torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is no longer considered a career-ending injury in basketball, thanks to advancements in medical technology, surgical techniques, and rehabilitation methods. While it is still a serious injury that typically requires surgery and a lengthy recovery period—often sidelining players for an entire season—many athletes are able to return to their previous level of performance or even exceed it.
Angel Reese Gets Defended by Unrivaled Co-Founder on WNBA Lockout Issue
In “We Need to Talk” on CBS, Unrivaled co-founder, and Minnesota Lynx power forward Napheesa Collier showed her support for Angel Reese over the backlash the latter faced i light of the issue of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement within the WNBA.
“We’re not asking for the same salaries as the men; we’re asking for the same revenue shares,” Collier said. “That’s where the big difference is. We get such a small percentage of revenue share right now that affects our salary. We’re asking for a bigger cut of that, like more equitable to what the men’s revenue share is.”
“It wouldn’t get us anywhere close to their salaries. We’re not asking for the same salaries. We’re asking for the same cut of the pie of what is made in our league.”
Angel Reese herself has addressed the backlash she faced for her “sitting out games” statement, pointing out how her critics have “selective hearing.”
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