Juju’s return, or the return of JuJu Watkins, arrives Monday, 588 days after the USC star last played in a regulation NCAA game. She tore her ACL in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and missed the entire 2025-26 season. The third-ranked Trojans open against UNLV at 4 p.m. ET in Las Vegas.
JuJu’s return isn’t the only one to watch; another star returns from a torn ACL the same day, though in a different setting. South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins is back for the No. 1 Gamecocks, who open against Maryland in Paris at noon ET. Both teams enter with championship expectations, but the question is how well the returning stars fit teams that kept developing without them.
JuJu’s Return Gives USC A Championship Piece, Not A Guarantee
JuJu averaged 25.6 points in her first two seasons and owns the most career points of any Division I women’s player through two years, with 1,709. She scored 18 points in 22 minutes in USC’s exhibition win over California. The numbers show a player ready to contribute immediately.
The harder question is fit. USC finished 18-14 without her last season. The Trojans now have Jazzy Davidson, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, plus No. 1 recruit Saniyah Hall, who scored 23 points in the exhibition. A roster built around a returning scorer is now a roster built around three scorers.
Davidson averaged 17.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game in 2025-26. Those numbers give USC another established offensive contributor alongside Watkins, making the challenge less about finding scoring and more about distributing opportunities.
Ashlyn Watkins Brings South Carolina Defense, Not A New Identity
Watkins tore her ACL in January 2025 and stepped away for the 2025-26 season. She returned in a 113-34 exhibition win over Benedict on Oct. 23, finishing with eight points and ten rebounds in 16 minutes. The six-foot-three forward once led the SEC in blocks with 91 during the 2023-24 season.
South Carolina does not need Watkins to be a star. Dawn Staley already has returning players Joyce Edwards, Tessa Johnson, and Agot Makeer from the team that lost to UCLA in the 2026 national championship game. Watkins projects as a reserve who protects the rim and rebounds in crucial moments, which fits the Gamecocks’ identity without changing it. Staley’s depth makes that role a luxury, not a necessity.
That projected reserve role has support from preseason rotation analysis. The State projected Watkins in South Carolina’s second unit, while On3 also identified her as a potential top frontcourt reserve behind projected starters Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards. Her actual playing role remains a coaching decision, not a confirmed starting-lineup announcement.
Chloe Kitts also returned from an ACL injury in the Benedict exhibition, scoring eight points in 12 minutes. South Carolina therefore has two returning forwards whose workloads and roles could shape the frontcourt rotation.
Watkins’ And Juju’s Return: The Two Returns Carry Two Different Sets Of Expectations
USC wants its first national championship since 1984, and the third-ranked Trojans open against UNLV on Monday at 4 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. South Carolina enters as the No. 1 team and opens against Maryland in Paris at noon ET on ESPN. One program is trying to climb back to the top, and the other is trying to stay there.
The difference between the two shapes their pressure. USC must show JuJu, Davidson and Hall can share one offense in their first season together. South Carolina must show a loaded roster can absorb two returning forwards without losing its standard.
UNLV is not simply an opening-night opponent. The Lady Rebels finished 21-11 overall and 15-5 in Mountain West play last season, placing second in the conference standings. Under Lindy La Rocque, the program has also collected three Mountain West tournament championships, giving USC a meaningful early test.
Teams That Kept Growing Set The Real Standard
Returning stars rejoin teams that spent a year developing without them. USC’s Davidson earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, and South Carolina reached the national championship game without Watkins. A returning player must fit that growth, not interrupt it. Fit takes time, and the regular season offers room to find it.
Balance wins at the highest level, as the Dream’s Finals run showed in the WNBA. A team that shares the ball, defends, and rebounds can absorb a star’s return. A team that waits for one player to fix everything will struggle.
The Opening Games Will Reveal How Well Everyone Fits
Watch minutes and roles first. JuJu played 22 minutes in the exhibition, and USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb must balance her workload with Davidson and Hall. Staley can ease Ashlyn and Chloe Kitts back in with limited minutes. Both coaches have non-conference games ahead to test combinations before conference play begins.
Fit shows up in small things: defensive communication, shot selection, and who closes games. A strong opener would signal readiness, but one game is not a verdict. Both teams are building for March, not Monday.
End Of My JuJu’s Return Rant
JuJu’s return puts USC back in the championship conversation, and the Trojans have the talent to match the hype. Davidson and Hall give them scoring and youth, and JuJu gives them star power. The key is whether those pieces become one team.
South Carolina offers the other lesson. The Gamecocks do not need a returning star to define them, only a defender who strengthens what Staley has built. Returns matter, but fit decides who cuts down the nets in April.
