Basketball world gutted by JuJu Watkins’ scary knee harm
The basketball world is collectively holding its breath after JuJu Watkins went down with an obvious leg harm throughout Monday evening’s second-round sport in opposition to Mississippi State within the NCAA Event.
Everybody from Angel Reese to Aliyah Boston to the broadcasters on ESPN reacted to the harm, hoping that Watkins might be OK.
Watkins harm her leg driving to the basket when she misplaced her footing and fell.
She instantly grabbed her leg and was in an immense quantity of ache earlier than ultimately being carried off the courtroom.
“Prayers for Juju!” Reese wrote on X, accompanied by a praying palms emoji and a tragic face emoji.
“Prayers up,” Boston posted on her X together with the praying palms emoji.
“I pray juju okay hate to see it,” LSU basketball star Flau’jae Johnson wrote.
Watkins solely had three factors earlier than she was injured, and ESPN broadcaster Elle Duncan lamented the actual fact the USC star wouldn’t be again on the courtroom Monday evening.
“We’re simply gonna tackle the elephant within the room, this completely sucks,” Duncan stated. “I don’t assume it’s hyperbolic to say this not solely modified the tenor of this sport however doubtlessly the match.”
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In a press release launched at halftime, the staff stated that Watkins was being evaluated by USC Keck Medication employees and that she wouldn’t return to the sport.
“She’s getting seen by our nice medical staff. We’ve got a bunch, and a fan base and a staff that’s going to have her again it doesn’t matter what,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb advised ESPN throughout the broadcast. “JuJu is the hardest child I do know and he or she’s gonna be good a method or one other.”
Watkins averaged 24.6 factors this season coming into Monday’s sport, together with 7 rebounds and three.5 assists in a yr the place the Trojans went 29-3.
