By now, the entire basketball world knows that USC’s electrifying guard, JuJu Watkins, has suffered a devastating injury. The sophomore phenom, who had secured USC’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, tore her ACL during the team’s second-round victory over Mississippi State on Monday night.
A lot of fellow players and analysts shared their well wishes for her. However, Shannon Sharpe’s live reaction after hearing about the news was caught on his podcast.
Shannon Sharpe Shares His Opinion About JuJu Watkins
The severity of Watkins’ injury became apparent the moment she collapsed on the court, clutching her right knee in visible agony. As the medical staff rushed to her side, a hush fell over the Galen Center.
The gravity of Watkins’ injury extended far beyond the walls of the Galen Center, reaching as far as the national sports media. During a live broadcast of their Nightcam video, NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson were on air when the news broke.
Sharpe, visibly stunned, read out the breaking update:
“Watkins was on a fast break just under five minutes ago; she appeared to have gotten tangled up with a Mississippi State player; she immediately went down, grabbed her right knee, physically in pain. A fire was caused on the Mississippi State Chandler Prater.”
Right after he finished, Johnson asked, “What do you think it is?”
Sharpe hesitated, then carefully responded:
“I don’t even want to speculate, but she grabbed her knee, and she’s screaming. She immediately grabbed her knee, and she’s screaming.”
As the weight of the moment set in, Sharpe refrained from making any dire predictions but made his concern clear:
“I’m hoping for the best. I’m hoping for the best. I don’t—I don’t—I don’t want to put that out there. Let’s just say she went down. She did not return to the game. We’re going to wait till they give us a diagnosis after this game, but it didn’t look good.”
His words echoed the thoughts of everyone watching. The uncertainty surrounding Watkins’ condition was gut-wrenching, and the painful reality soon became official. After being carried off the court to a nearby medical facility for an MRI, Watkins had a torn ACL. This made her season officially over.
Athletic director Jen Cohen, along with several athletic administrators, followed Watkins to the locker room. With 35 minutes left on the clock, the Trojans had no choice but to push forward. As they huddled, senior forward Rayah Marshall described the mood:
“We had to pray, check in on each other, and make sure we stayed locked in.”
USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb later admitted how shaken she was by the incident:
“I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t rattled seeing JuJu on the floor crying. This is a human game, so I obviously tried my best to be what I need to be for the team, but internally, it’s a lot.”
What’s Next for USC Without Watkins?
Despite the emotional toll, USC managed to put together one of its most dominant performances of the season. The Trojans took over Mississippi State 96-59, fueled by the roaring home crowd.
“It was emotional,” Gottlieb reflected. “You had to be there to feel it.”
Even as they process the shock of losing their star player, the Trojans must quickly refocus. Their tournament run is far from over, and they now set their sights on Saturday’s Sweet 16 showdown against No. 5 seed Kansas State.
“We have to compartmentalize now,” Gottlieb emphasized. “We’re going to keep fighting, and we’re going to do it for JuJu.”
KEEP READING: Tensions Flare After JuJu Watkins’ Injury as USC, Mississippi State Clash at Handshake Line
As a national Player of the Year candidate, Watkins was the engine of USC’s offense. She averaged 27.1 points per game, drawing comparisons to legends of the game. Without her, the Trojans will have to adapt and rely on a collective effort from their remaining core, including Kiki Iriafen, Rayah Marshall, and others.
For USC, the journey continues, but their path just got significantly tougher.
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