Ex-WNBA Star Chiney Ogwumike Positive JuJu Watkins Will Rebound From ACL Tear

Ex-WNBA Star Chiney Ogwumike
JuJu Will Rebound From ACL Tear
… ‘She’s Built Different’

Published March 30, 2025 12:25 AM PDT

Former WNBA superstar Chiney Ogwumike tells TMZ Sports she’s absolutely positive we’ll be seeing JuJu Watkins getting buckets on the hardwood again in the near future.

The 19-year-old phenom went down with a torn ACL during USC’s Monday night NCAA tournament matchup with Mississippi State … and while everyone is holding their breath over how the devastating injury might impact her insanely bright future, Ogwumike doesn’t seem to be sweating it one bit.

When we got the two-time WNBA All-Star out at LAX this week, she told us she’s just certain JuJu will attack the recovery process meticulously — and will be ready to score again on the court in no time.

“JuJu is the heart and soul of this city,” Ogwumike said, “and I have no worries about her comeback. She’s built different. She’s built different.”

Ogwumike pointed toward Breanna Stewart as another reason she’s confident in JuJu’s bounceback … reminding us the New York Liberty star tore her Achilles early in her career but returned to win championships and MVP hardware. She said UConn’s Paige Bueckers — who hurt her knee in 2022 — is another example of a successful comeback that JuJu can model her recovery after.

Additionally, Ogwumike told us Watkins is surrounded by some good friends and family — and she’s simply positive this will all end up being a small speed bump in her career.

“She’s got the team,” Ogwumike said. “She’ll be straight.”