LOS ANGELES––On a quiet Tuesday on the University of Southern California campus, a figure in a dark hoodie and a pristinely slicked-back top bun crosses South Figueroa Street, walking away from Galen Center. Judea "JuJu" Watkins, the senior guard for the USC women's basketball team, who is expected to play in her first official game in 588 days on Monday, makes her way from a routine treatment session to her second class of the day. No fanfare, none of the signs one might associate with being, arguably, the best player in all of college basketball.
A couple hours of later, the 21-year-old Watkins settled into a folding chair in the USC practice gym, scoffing good-naturedly as a CBS Sports producer pointed out the shot clock and scoreboard were set to display the number 12 in her honor. Despite a career temporarily stalled to recover from an ACL surgery, Watkins is already one of the greatest players to grace the USC women's basketball program. But the time away from the court has been humbling.
The anguish of being healthy enough to play, but not yet cleared to play to her fullest is the last hurdle to clear. The roller coaster, as Watkins describes it, is coming to a halt. On Monday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m., USC will face UNLV to tip off the 2026-27 season in a game that will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.
In an exclusive interview last week, Watkins told CBS Sports that she was eager to get back on the court with her teammates. "I'm feeling great, so I'm just excited to be back and ready to get after it," she said. Ahead of her much-anticipated return to the court, we reminisced with Watkins on her career, her expectations for the Women of Troy this season and, most importantly, five key dates in the Book of Watkins.
Coming to USC was meaningful for Watkins. Her family has lived in nearby Watts for over 60 years. Her great-grandfather, Ted Watkins, fled his Mississippi home when he was just 13 years old to avoid a lynch mob.
Some thirty years later, he founded the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC). Ted's saying, "Don't move, improve," guided his work to ensure Watts had the proper resources to be a thriving Black community. The family motto has always resonated with Watkins.
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