"You will come back stronger": Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate Ron Harper sends heartfelt message after JuJu Watkins’ devastating ACL injury 

Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate, Ron Harper, has sent a heartfelt message to JuJu Watkins following her March Madness heartbreak. Watkins suited up for USC’s game against Mississippi State on Monday. Unfortunately, she couldn’t even get through the first quarter and picked up an injury.

Tests have revealed that Watkins tore her ACL and will now undergo surgery. Her season is already over.

Harper reached out to Watkins via X and wrote a message on Tuesday:

“My heart ❤️ goes out too @Jujubballin and @USCWBB a speedy recovering ❤️‍🩹 you will come back stronger and faster. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽” wrote Harper

USC beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 96-59 and has now booked its place in the Sweet 16. Watkins’ teammates will now face the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday as they look to advance to the final eight.

Watkins had quite a season for herself, recording 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 42.6% from the field. She was also named to the AP All-American First Team for her stellar performances.

The 19-year-old is one of the highest-rated players in college, but now faces a tough obstacle. An ACL injury is the worst kind for almost any athlete, regardless of which sport they play.

Still, fans are hopeful that a player of Watkins’ quality can come out of this injury without losing a step. Hopefully, the 19-year-old can retain her great level when she takes the floor next season.

“Bring the energy and the fight”: Lindsay Gottlieb addresses team following JuJu Watkins’ heartbreaking injury

JuJu Watkins went down in the first quarter, but that did not stop her team from fighting back and defeating Mississippi State. With the second round over, USC now needs to manage the rest of the tournament without its star player. A difficult task, but USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb hasn’t lost faith.

She addressed the team following Watkins’ injury and delivered a powerful message:

“I am so grateful. You guys had my back, you had each other's back, you had [JuJu Watkins] back, and the fans had your back. We were a team. ... and I'll never forget this game for as long as I live. It's a big deal to go to the Sweet 16."

She added:

“We are going to Spokane, and we are going as a team. You guys bring the energy and the fight, and we say we don’t change our goals, right? But we give a little extra energy for what she would bring. And also, just to say that anytime we’re a player down, we step up for one another because that’s who we are."

From the looks of it, USC can't be counted out just yet and will make things difficult for the other teams. It’ll be interesting to see how the team manages without JuJu Watkins.