JuJu Watkins drops 1-word reaction as assistant coach competes in intense workout vs USC star

USC basketball star JuJu Watkins is making steady progress in her recovery and is already back in the gym. After suffering a cruciate ligament injury late last season, Watkins has been working her way back.

On Wednesday, Watkins reposted a video on her Instagram story showing her in a competitive workout session alongside athletic trainer Erin Tillman. The pair were pushing each other in an intense gym session, showing Watkins’ determination during rehab.

She captioned the clip with just one word.

“Workkk.”

Watkins injured her ACL in a game against Mississippi State during the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It was a huge blow for USC, as she was the nation's fourth-leading scorer.

Although no official return date has been confirmed, the video shows she is already using gym equipment again, a sign that her recovery is moving in the right direction.

Before the injury, Watkins was in sensational form. The former No. 1 recruit followed up her strong freshman year with an even more dominant sophomore season. She averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for the Trojans, leading them to a first Big Ten regular season title.

Her efforts earned her All-American honors, and she won multiple national awards, including the Wooden Award and Naismith Player of the Year.

Since arriving at USC, Watkins has lived up to every bit of the hype, becoming the face of the program and one of the biggest stars in the college game.

JuJu Watkins nominated for ESPY award

In its first season in the Big Ten Conference, JuJu Watkins led USC to the title and was named player of the year.

Despite her season ending prematurely due to an injury, she went on to win several national awards, and there is a possibility of more.

Watkins has been nominated for the 2025 ESPY Awards in the “Best College Athlete—Women’s Sports” category. Other nominees include Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh, Pittsburgh volleyball player Olivia Babcock and North Carolina soccer player Katie Faasse.

About the author

Babatunde Kolawole is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over eight years of experience in the field with Canoncrested.com, Garbersports.com, LiveScore Bet Nigeria and Pulse Sports Nigeria.

Kolawole studied Agricultural Economics on the tertiary level but delved into sports writing after school. Over half a decade later, the experience garnered helped him land this role.

Historically, the Alabama Crimson Tide stands out as Kolawole's favorite team as he was drawn to their rich history.

As for basketball, JuJu Watkins is Kolawole's favorite current player due to how much diversity she has in her game, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets the nod for past players because of how he dominated with UCLA.

Kolawole has appeared on several TV and Radio shows as a guest analyst, and in his spare time, likes to watch movies (a sucker for the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and listen to a lot of music. He also loves to travel.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25