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Liberty Stars Lament JuJu Watkins Injury

New York Liberty star lamented JuJu Watkins' devastating injury endured in NCAA Tournament action.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during pregame warmups before an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during pregame warmups before an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
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Coast-to-coach heartbreak took over the basketball-loving nation on Monday night and it affected embers of the New York Liberty.

Liberty stars Isabelle Harrison and Breanna Stewart were among those who lamented the loss of University of Southern California star JuJu Watkins, who endured a devastating injury during Round of 32 action at the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Watkins went down amidst first quarter action against Mississippi State and was carried off the court before her Trojans secured a 96-59 victory.

It was originally a celebratory night for Stewart, whose alma mater Connecticut advanced to its 31st consecutive Sweet 16. But the former Husky immediately offered prayers for Watkins on X in the wake of the injury and new teammate Harrison was equally distraught over the happening.

Thus unfortunately and prematurely ends a sterling sophomore season for Watkins, who took home consensus All-American honors and the Big Ten Player of the Year award previously earned by former New Yorkers Katie Smith and Amanda Zahui B.

"Heartbroken" Liberty great and ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo discussed the potential impact of Watkins' injury on Tuesday's edition on morning program "Get Up!", reasoning that USC would have trouble competing for a national title with Watkins down.

"I don't know what any of the teams left in the tournament have a player who is as important to their success as JuJu Watkins is to USC's," Lobo said. "Without her on the floor, this is not a USC team I think could win a national championship."

If anyone can understand what Watkins is going through, it's likely Lobo: Stewart's fellow UConn alumna was one of the first stars of the Liberty and the WNBA as a whole but tore her ACL at the start of the 1999 campaign.

Sans Watkins, the Trojans will continue their NCAA Tournament trek on Saturday night against Kansas State (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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