JuJu Watkins’ long road back from a devastating ACL tear has an unlikely guide: former rival Paige Bueckers. The USC Trojan guard is making her first steps on the court cautiously after the ACL tear in her right knee that she suffered last year in March during a Mississippi State game. A latest development in this regard was her participation at the USA Basketball training camp where Paige Bueckers turned into a mentor amid this recovery phase.

Speaking in an interview during her training at the USA training camp, Watkins revealed that Bueckers has been helping her immensely and pushing her in the right direction immediately after coming off a prolonged break following her season-ending surgery.

“Paige is definitely giving me a lot of advice, and we always talk about it, so she’s definitely been a great help,” Watkins said. “Cam (Brink) is another player (that went through a similar situation). But so many people have reached out giving me words of encouragement and wisdom.”

Amid a pool of stars in the USA training camp, there are very few who can be as perfect a mentor as Bueckers for Watkins. Injuries and comebacks have often been synonymous with the Dallas Wings guard in recent years. Like Watkins, Bueckers also tore her ACL during the 2022-23 season, forcing her to sit out the entire year.

While this was a major setback in her collegiate years, Bueckers’ injury nemesis hasn’t left her behind in her pro stint as well. In her rookie season alone, Bueckers suffered a calf injury, a left knee sprain, and other illnesses. Notably, the latter were minor injuries and haven’t cost Bueckers many games.

The point here is that having such an experience dealing with injuries and constantly pushing to return to the court can help Bueckers advise Watkins on the approach Watkins should take right after her comeback, which, at this point, seems to be in the 2026-27 season. And it’s the same with Cameron Brink, who sustained an ACL tear during the 2024 season. But it wasn’t the first time that we’ve seen this camaraderie between Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins.

A similar situation unfolded last November when Bueckers shared a heartfelt message to the USC Trojans star after the latter had to sit out the entire season. The Dallas Wings guard reinforced that she understands Watkins’ sentiments perfectly, as she went through a similar phase a couple of years ago.

“When I was going through my process, I watched my old highlights back and would remind myself who I was before the injury,” Bueckers had shared in her message during the Drives Winning’ podcast. “Because there’s always that self-doubt of, can you get back to that level? Or can you be the person that you were before you got hurt?”

According to reports, JuJu Watkins has had limited participation in training at the USA Basketball camp. But even then, the experience she can derive from players like Bueckers, Napheesa Collier, and veterans like Sue Bird, who, in her capacity as the managing director, was largely involved in the training camp.

USA Basketball Managing Director Sue Bird Addresses JuJu Watkins’ Recovery Phase

Amid a confusing environment around JuJu Watkins’ injury progress, Team USA Managing Director Sue Bird has shared a major positive update for the hoops community. Speaking in a recent interview, Bird initially explained how injury recovery tends to affect players’ mentality before adding that Watkins is close to getting on the hardwood.

“I can speak firsthand, you learn a lot from the experience,” Bird said. “And just in talking to her, you can see she’s in a really settled place, a really calm place. Ready to get back on the court. I’m sure she’s itching to do that. “As you get closer to the end, it actually gets harder because you know you’re ready, but you still have to take your time with it. But she looks great. I know she’ll have a great summer.”

Besides Bird, Watkins herself has shared a positive update for her fans, noting that she’s nearing the end of her recovery and will be game-fit very soon, ready to return to the court without any restraints. “Recovery’s coming along very well,” Watkins said. “Just staying with it, and I’ll be back soon.”

Bird’s assessment is an immensely good indication that Watkins is in very good shape of mind, and with slight improvements in the coming days, the 2023 No.1 recruit will be up and ready to be back at her business. Without Watkins at their disposal, the USC Trojans suffered big time at the big stage. The Trojans suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks in the tournament.

Freshman Jazzy Davidson played well, but without their franchise star, the team didn’t look like itself on the court. And to be precise, that wasn’t even a question, as it was an open secret that without Watkins, the Trojans will suffer big time, given the scoring spree and prowess on the glass Watkins brings.

The Trojan guard has scored over 22+ points per game in both seasons she played for the Trojans, suggesting her importance in the USC roster. But with a positive light on her injury update, times are going to get immensely interesting with Davidson and Watkins bossing the court together, raising their ceiling immediately on paper. What are your expectations for Watkins after her return to the court next season? Do let us know in the comments.