JuJu Watkins card market dips ahead of sidelined season
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With the departures of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers to the WNBA in recent seasons, USC's JuJu Watkins looked ready to take on the challenge of being the face of women's basketball at the collegiate level.
After a torn ACL in her knee during the 2025 NCAA Tournament, fans will have to wait a while before seeing the star back on the court. Prior to the start of the college basketball season, USC announced that Watkins would miss the entire 2025-26 season as she recovers from her injury.
JuJu Watkins has announced that she will not compete during the 2025-26 season to focus on her recovery from injury.
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) September 29, 2025
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While this is without a doubt a massive loss to college basketball, Watkins also lost some momentum in her card market since the injury in late March. Thanks to Bowman partnering with schools and players, Watkins has had autographs and cards since 2022 when she was featured in 2022 Bowman University.
How this impacts her cards
During the 2024-25 season while Watkins was averaging 24 points per game, a 1st Bowman refractor autograph numbered to 499 from 2022 Bowman University in a PSA 10 sold for $940 with a yellow refractor PSA 10 selling for $1,800 according to Card Ladder data.
As the season progressed and marched towards the NCAA Tournament, those same PSA 10 refractor autographs climbed between $1,100-1,200 as USC earned a number one seed in the tournament.
Following a first-round win against UNC Greensboro, Watkins and the Trojans faced Mississippi State looking for another Sweet 16 appearance. Five minutes into the game, Watkins went down with the knee injury that will sideline her until next fall.
JUJU WATKINS IS THE @NaismithTrophy PLAYER OF THE YEAR ✌️ pic.twitter.com/CowczISdVx
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) April 2, 2025
Following her injury, her card market went quiet as her market started to deflate. On July 5, the same PSA 10 refractor autograph from 2022 Bowman University sold for $675 dollars with a PSA 10 yellow refractor selling for $650 in September, down nearly $1,200 from several months prior.
How does the injury impact collectors
Watkins' case is a common one when it comes to collecting sports cards. If a player suffers a long-term injury, not only does it impact their card market in the short term, it may keep a player's market low until there is hype around the player again.
While fans eagerly await Watkins' return to the court, collectors may use this as a time to stock up on her cards that are a fraction of what they once cost while she was dominating in season. Between the volume of cards Watkins has on the market mixed with the time away from the court, it could be an ideal time for collectors to "buy low" into her cards.
Dan Gardella is a Red Sox fan and collector growing up in Yankee territory in Connecticut. While only reviving his love for the hobby a few years ago, he provides knowledge into baseball cards from prospects to the big leagues.
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