$18M worth Geno Auriemma makes his feelings known on JuJu Watkins' comeback following season-ending ACL injury

UConn coach Geno Auriemma shared his thoughts on what to expect when USC star guard JuJu Watkins makes her wide-awaited comeback from an ACL injury on her right knee. Watkins sustained the season-ending injury in the first quarter of the Trojans' 2025 NCAA Tournament second-round game against Mississippi State.

The No. 2 seed Huskies face the No. 1 seed Trojans in the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Monday night. The game tips off at 9 p.m. ET from Spokane Arena and airs on ESPN.

Auriemma, whose net worth is pegged at $18 million by CelebrityNetWorth, said Watkins' recovery and comeback would depend on her willingness to overcome the potentially career-ending injury.

The winningest NCAA Division I of all time believes JuJu Watkins would be positive about the outcome of her recovery and will be in attack mode in every drill and exercise assigned to her in the rehab sessions.

"Some people, they go into a long, deep depressive state, and it takes them a long time to get out of it, and it sets their progress back," Auriemma said during UConn's media availability session on Sunday. "And others are very, very positive about it, very much attacking it like they like they attack the game. And I would think JuJu is in that mold.

"If you're somebody like Paige, somebody like JuJu Watkins, or some of the other kids that you know that have gone through this, they come back better. They come back stronger. They come back more determined."

Normally, it takes a year for players to recover from a major knee injury as they undergo a long rehabilitation process until the affected knee regains strength. The 11-time national champion coach is no stranger to this situation, with current stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd sustaining similar injuries a few seasons back.

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JuJu Watkins' teammates have stepped up since her season-ending injury

The loss of its star player, JuJu Watkins, seemed to have little effect on USC, with Kiki Iriafen, Avery Howell, Kennedy Smith, Kayleigh Heckel and Rayah Marshall stepping up to fill the void. Their consistent performances kept USC alive and still fighting for a place in the Final Four.

Iriafen became the team's leader, averaging 21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. Fellow senior Rayah Marshall also shone in those wins, tallying 11.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg and 3.5 bpg.

But the most surprising production comes from their freshman trio of Smith, Heckel and Howell. The 6-foot Howell has provided the outside marksmanship for USC, making 4.0 3-pointers per game, plus 18.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg. The 6-foot-1 Smith has averaged 14.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.5 apg and 4.0 spg, while Heckel has produced 10.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg.

These five players would be a cause for concern for the Huskies' coaching staff as they seek to hold off the inspired Trojans from making it to the Final Four for the first time since 1986.

Last season, Rayah Marshall, Clarice Akunwafo and Malia Samuels witnessed how Paige Bueckers stopped JuJu Watkins in the Elite Eight and helped UConn win 80-73. Now it's the Trojans' mission to make the Final Four for their fallen comrade.