Jalen Rose's daughter Mariah Rose reacts comically to JuJu Watkins' tough injury setback

Future WNBA prospect JuJu Watkins had a heartbreaking injury during the NCAA tournament on Monday as she tore her ACL in USC’s win against Mississippi State in the Sweet 16 round. Watkins’s injury occurred when she drove to the basket and buckled her right knee, causing her to fall on the floor in pain.

With Watkins’s injury, she is not expected to return for the women’s basketball March Madness. As reactions poured in for Watkins, Jalen Rose’s daughter and content creator, Mariah Rose, provided a comical short TikTok about her reaction to Watkins’ ACL tear.

Rose shared the video on her X account, posting a two-word reaction followed by crying emojis to express what she felt about the injury.

“JUJU NOOO😭😭😭,” Rose wrote.

Watkins is regarded as one of the best players in the March Madness tournament, having led the Trojans to a top seed.

The USC star averaged 24.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 blocks in only her sophomore season, doing it all for USC, whose squad has been one of the favorites to win the national championship this year.

Watkins’s injury is also likely to affect her WNBA stock in the future, as she will be eligible for the draft in 2027.

JuJu Watkins gets support from popular WNBA star Caitlin Clark

Even as a young player, JuJu Watkins has turned heads with her flashy scoring abilities and finesse. One of her talents’ longtime admirers is former WNBA top pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.

On Tuesday, Clark expressed her support for Watkins following her injury, sending her prayers for a speedy recovery before affirming that she will be back stronger.

“Sending all my thoughts and prayers to JuJu. Kid will come back stronger than ever ❤️,” Clark wrote on X.

Clark and Watkins have long been compared to each other, as the former Iowa Hawkeye was known to be one of the best offensive players in NCAA history, similar to Watkins this year. Clark holds the NCAA record for all-time points across both men’s and women’s divisions.

Watkins was once considered to be the heir apparent to Clark, after eclipsing the Fever star’s total points accumulated in two seasons as a collegiate player. However, with her injury requiring extended recovery, Watkins is unlikely to reach Clark’s scoring mark in her college career.

Nevertheless, Juju Watkins will immediately undergo surgery to repair the torn ligament and is projected to be back sometime next season, depending on how quickly she recovers.