Reigning NCAA women’s basketball player of the year JuJu Watkins announced Sunday that she will not play during the 2025-26 season.

Watkins, who tore the ACL in her right knee against Mississippi State during the second round of the NCAA Tournament in March, says she will spend her third year at USC focusing on her recovery.

The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last year to earn consensus All-American honors and national player of the year awards while leading the Trojans to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

After Watkins’ injury, the Trojans lost to Paige Bueckers and eventual national champion Connecticut in the Elite Eight.

“These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest and reflection,” Watkins announced. “Recovering

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