USC star JuJu Watkins shines in long-awaited return for title contender

LAS VEGAS – Five hundred and eighty-eight days later, JuJu Watkins showed why this was worth the wait. Worth the wait for all the ways she can make her team seem unbeatable . Each of those qualities was in abundant supply Monday afternoon in the USC superstar’s first game since she went down in a horrible heap during the 2025 NCAA Tournament, clutching her right knee in anguish. It took a little more than two minutes for Watkins to announce her presence during the No. 3 Trojans’ 100-68 victory over UNLV at T-Mobile Arena in the Hall of Fame Series.