Dan Patrick gives his 2 cents after JuJu Watkins misses potential Paige Bueckers matchup

USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending knee injury in Monday’s 96-59 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. It is a devastating blow for the top-seeded Trojans’ championship hopes, as Watkins is among the best players in the sport.

On Tuesday, sports talk host Dan Patrick shared his thoughts on the injury. While Watkins’ absence is a bitter pill to swallow for USC, the host mentioned how the timing of the injury also robbed fans of what could have been a classic against Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies.

“It was a shame to see that because you were going to have Connecticut and USC probably meet each other in the Elite Eight… They (the NCAA) wanted to have UConn and USC meet so it’s Paige Bueckers against JuJu Watkins. And look, that USC team is (a) really, really good team,” Dan Patrick said (2:32).

Watkins is expected to win Naismith Player of the Year honors after averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 2.2 steals per game for the Trojans.

USC will face Kansas State on Saturday while the Huskies will play Oklahoma on that same day. If both teams come out with a victory, they will face each other in the Elite Eight.

Dan Patrick compares JuJu Watkins' injury to some high-profile athletes missing time

For Dan Patrick, the injury to JuJu Watkins is not only a tough one for the USC Trojans but for the entire college basketball world. He compared it to some of the most high-profile injuries in recent memory.

“There’s times when there are injuriesubut then there’s injuries that hurt the entire sport. When Tiger (Woods) was out, for a variety of reasons, or had surgery, or the car accident, the sport is hurt.

“(Tom) Brady when he blew out his knee, or maybe Peyton Manning when he had neck surgery. The entire sport loses. And that was the case last night for JuJu Watkins,” Dan Patrick said.

While Watkins is still young and has two more years of college basketball left, she is also considered one of the top players in college basketball. With Bueckers turning pro after this season, the USC player is poised to become the biggest star in women’s college basketball.

Watkins could also miss a chunk of next season. With Watkins sidelined, the Trojans will likely turn to Kiki Iriafen to lead them on the court. Iriafen averages 18.6 points and 8.5 rebounds this season.