JuJu Watkins endured a right ACL tear in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament. Ever since, she’s been in recovery, but even now she’s not 100% healthy. So, in her latest update, Watkins shared, “Following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love”. While fans and players alike poured in their support, one message stood out, coming from none other than Candace Parker.

When JuJu went down with the injury, Parker was among the first few to help her keep her spirits high. And now that she’s out for the 2025–26 season, the WNBA legend’s got a few more words to add. Speaking with Aliyah Boston during the September 30th episode of “Post Move,” she said, “I came back in five months, and I’ve had knee problems since, and I tore it July 29th, 2003. And I played December 29th, 2003.” The experience Parker shared was to highlight that JuJu made the right decision to withdraw herself from the upcoming season.

And that’s because Parker had been in the same situation before. Back in 2003, she tore her ACL during the summer, just before her senior year of high school. She then underwent surgery in September 2004 to repair further damage — something she had caused herself. Finally, after a couple of premature comebacks, she reluctantly admitted, “In my head I knew I shouldn’t play, but my heart wanted to,” she said back in 2005.

But the damage had already been done, and it cost her dearly. She found herself sitting alone in one of the 24,535 orange seats in Thompson-Boling Arena after practice, her legs stretched over the seats in front of her while her left knee was wrapped in ice. There was still a little puffiness, but nothing compared to the swelling she had endured the previous season. So yes, nobody can relate more to JuJu’s early challenges at 20 years old than Candace can.

Especially since JuJu’s got a similar passion for basketball. At just 20 years of age, she’s averaging 23.9 points with 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a sophomore. She’s even catapulted her hometown Trojans back into the nationals after missing every NCAA tournament from 2015 to 2022, delivering USC’s best record in 40 years. And not just that — she’s already scored 1,000 career points across 38 games and is the fourth-fastest player to reach the mark in Division I history.

That’s how transformative Watkins, who grew up just seven miles away from the Galen Center, has been. But just one game, and she’s out for the season. Still, no worries — her health is the priority right now for her family, coaches, and friends. As Parker put it best, “I tried to dunk 12 weeks after ACL/MCL/PCL surgery. That’s why I’ve had 10 knee surgeries,” she shared last year. From her own experience, Parker’s now guiding Watkins — and yes, there’s a reason behind that!

Candace Parker’s known JuJu up close!

Much like Candace Parker, JuJu Watkins’ talent earned early recognition. Why not? She was already delivering jaw-dropping performances in high school. On her senior night, she had a career-high 60 points — yes, 60! — marking the second-most points in a single game in the area during an 88–39 win. Soon after, she was awarded not just for her skills but for the person she is.

And to present her with the Gatorade National Player of the Year trophy, it was Parker herself who showed up to surprise her — a moment that left JuJu teary-eyed. The reaction made perfect sense. For JuJu, she wasn’t just meeting a WNBA legend. As she admitted last year in an interview with Broadroom, “I grew up always going to the Sparks games. I’ve always been a big Candace fan and admired her versatility and the way she’s able to score from all parts of the floor. I try to model that as much as I can,” she said.

Well, Parker had been the heart and soul of Los Angeles ever since she was picked No. 1 overall by the Sparks in the 2008 WNBA Draft. She went on to play 13 seasons with the team before joining the Sky and later the Aces for her final three seasons. And the USC star Watkins had watched her up close. So, the relationship between the two players isn’t just professional — it’s deeply emotional too.