![Angel Reese reacts to JuJu Watkins injury on Monday against Mississippi State. [photo: @angelreese5/IG, @jujuballin/IG]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/532e3-17428720122831-1920.jpg)
![Angel Reese reacts to JuJu Watkins injury on Monday against Mississippi State. [photo: @angelreese5/IG, @jujuballin/IG]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAJ/Ghv8A/8QAHxAAAgEEAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEAwUREgAGISJR/9oACAEBAAE/AO+2+N1O6WyFaI8aLJlrUy1FGGyA7HZi+eNcZtZjVFXxzt9KpPv6cc//xAAaEQACAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwARAlHB/9oACAECAQE/AEm143rpn//EABkRAAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAyFxwf/aAAgBAwEBPwB0mbwL/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Angel Reese, a big fan of JuJu Watkins, watched her play in the NCAA second-round matchup against Mississippi State. The USC star guard crumpled early in the first quarter after trying to attack the Bulldogs’ defense. Watkins writhed in pain and stayed on the floor for a few minutes before the Trojans’ training staff carried her to the locker room.
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Reese promptly went on X/Twitter to react to the injury:
“Prayers for Juju!”
Angel Reese wasn't the only WNBA star who reacted to the injury. Breanna Stewart joined the fray:
Sydney Colson also wrote:
“Sayin a prayer for her NOW”
Aliyah Boston tossed in a two-word reaction:
"Prayers up"
Watkins and the Trojans took on the Mississippi Bulldogs for a spot in the Sweet 16, where the No. 5 Kansas State waits. USC surged to an early 13-2 lead when the star guard suffered an injury. The left leg of the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2025 buckled before falling to the floor while grimacing in pain.
The Trojans kept their composure after the injury to Watkins to sustain their dominance. They finished the first quarter with a 28-8 lead while every basketball fan waited for the latest update on JuJu Watkins.
JuJu Watkins had Angel Reese leading WNBA Rookie of the Year race over Caitlin Clark
The spotlight was on Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark even before the 2024 WNBA season started. Roughly two months into the competition, the Rookie of the Year race between the rivals became the headliner.
JuJu Watkins had this to say in a GQ interview when asked about who she thought led the competition:
"As of right now, I got Angel. I got Angel. She's been killing it."
Reese was on a streak of double-double games when the interview with Watkins happened. Clark eventually overtook the Chicago Sky star with a strong surge that led the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016. The point guard eventually won the ROY by a near-unanimous victory. Only one vote, which went to Reese, prevented a clean romp for the Fever All-Star.
