JuJu Watkins wasn’t just a rising star for the USC Trojans but the heartbeat of the team. The young guard turned heads across the nation, carving out a dominant season that had fans and analysts buzzing. Moreover, she stamped her authority on the court early, none more so than with her season-high 40-point eruption against Carolina Baptist on Dec. 3, 2024.
But just when her momentum was peaking, her journey took a heartbreaking turn. On March 24, in a game against Mississippi State, Watkins suffered a torn ACL — an injury that abruptly ended her electric sophomore campaign. Since the injury, fans have been eager for any updates on Watkins’ recovery and mental state, and now a former NBA coach has finally shed light on it.
Former Lakers Coach Reveals JuJu Watkins’ Current State
On the recent episode of the “All the Smoke” podcast hosted by Matt Barnes, former Lakers assistant coach and Watkins’ mentor Phil Handy broke his silence and gave a raw, emotional glimpse into how the young star is coping.
“JuJu, on the other hand, was a little different. You know? Young athletes. Just the first time she has ever been injured, and the first couple of days for her were really tough, just from a mental standpoint,” Handy said on the podcast.
“But man, she’s got a great inner circle or her family, her parents. You know, I had a chance to talk with her a number of times; we went to lunch, and she’s on the other side of that now.”
Watkins’ ACL tear came during a tightly contested matchup with Mississippi State in the NCAA tournament, a game that could’ve been a platform for her to cement her sophomore year legacy. With just under five minutes left in the first quarter, she was pushing the pace on a fast break when she collided with a defender.
The contact caused her to fall awkwardly, and she instantly clutched her right knee in clear distress. The referee quickly whistled a foul on Chandler Prater of Mississippi State, and Watkins was carried off the court. She didn’t go home scoreless, scoring three points, but more importantly to her, the Trojans bested the Bulldogs, 96-59.
“She’s like, ‘Phil, man, I’m ready. I’m gonna come back stronger, I understand that this is going to be good for me; I can work on my body. I get a chance to work on other parts of the game from a mental standpoint. Let me understand the game from an IQ standpoint and dive into those areas.’ So she is already tracking in the sense of ‘I’mma be ready for this comeback,'” Handy added.
Handy has been known for mentoring elite NBA talent like Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving, and LeBron James and has been a key figure in Watkins’ development. As the 19-year-old progresses through her recovery timeline, the basketball community will witness an even more formidable player when she returns to the court.
However Handy also offered some key insights on what Watkins was before the injury.
Phil Handy Revealed Watkins’ Pre-Injury Mentality
Handy has worked with some of the NBA’s top teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, and the Lakers. This season, he took his expertise to coach the Mist BC of the “Unrivaled” league. This experience has given him a chance to know about pro players’ mentality.
During the same podcast episode, he described Watkins as one of the most mentally tough and inquisitive young athletes he’s encountered.
“You know what I love about her this year? Before I left for Unrivaled, you know we would work out at least twice a week. But when I left, she was like, ‘Phil, we gotta get on Zoom. We gotta watch film. So we would try to watch film at least once a week on Zoom,'” he said.
“The student part of the game is where she’s really trying to have the growth. I think a lot of people look at JuJu and just see her talent. But she’s like, we have talked about her just having her basketball IQ rise to the same level as her talent,” Handy said.
Watkins, who averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists before her season-ending injury, was one of the NCAA’s elite stars. Had she remained healthy she likely would’ve carried the Trojans to historic heights this season.