When JuJu Watkins went down against Mississippi, the Trojans’ hopes went down with her. While the team did boast talents such as Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall, who were drafted to the WNBA later, JuJu was the engine behind their scoring. Starting the tournament out as favorites, USC’s stock plummeted after her injury and finally crashed in the Elite Eight against frontrunner UConn. But that wasn’t even the worst part. It was the long and gruelling recovery injury that was to follow, and how long it would keep her off the court. Well, now, the Trojan nation can rest assured on one of those worries, and seems like they already are.

In their round of 32 matchup against Mississippi State, Watkins’ knee bent awkwardly as she planted her right foot on a fast break. The incident took place five minutes into USC’s victory and crushed the morale of the supporters. JuJu immediately collapsed onto the court before being carried off, unable to put any weight on her leg. ESPN’s Shams Charania would later confirm the Trojans’ star suffered a torn ACL in her right knee while USC updated she would undergo surgery.

In her first comments after the injury, JuJu had thanked fans for their love and support. “Seeing all your messages and kind words has meant the world to me—ya’ll have given me so much hope. Right now, my heart is with my teammates—I wish I could have been out there battling, but I couldn’t be prouder of the fight we’ve fought together. Thank you all.” she wrote on her IG story. While that communicated Watkins was doing better, USC fans’ anxiousness towards her recovery was only natural. So when JuJu made her first post since the injury, the fans’ relief was there for all to see.

The star guard took to her Instagram and shared a carousel, providing a “photo dump” to update the fans on her activities of late. The post was captioned “growing with the flow” indicating Watkins’ positive mindset towards the hurdle she is facing. It even includes The Sundays’ 90s hit “Life Goes On,” making it safe to assume JuJu has all her focus on the future and finally conquering the NCAA Tournament. But this wasn’t the only indicator that the Trojan was doing well.

Having incurred an injury for the first time, it is no easy process to get through. This one requires a surgery, rehabilitation, and a recovery period of at least 9 months. Think Paige Bueckers, think Cameron Brink. They have had to stay away for nearly a year. And there’s nothing suggesting it will be any different for Watkins. However, as she goes through the phase, she is being ensured an easier path.

“The first couple days for her were really tough, just from a mental standpoint. But man, she’s got a great inner circle, her family, her parents. I had a chance to talk with her a number of times. We went to lunch, and she’s on the other side of that now,” Phil Handy, a coach with Unrivaled revealed last month. He also revealed JuJu is looking the silver lining here– so what if she can’t get on the court? She is going to work on mental toughness and develop her IQ.

It was only weeks ago when the Trojan Nations world looked all gloomy as one unwanted update followed another. So, now as the positive news stack up, the fans couldn’t help but express their joy.

Fans show love for Juju Watkins

Surely the update from JuJu reassures the Trojans fanbase that the season will hold promise, but some fans were simply relieved to be hearing from their star after her brief absence from social media. “Finally you post again Queen” a fan commented on her Instagram post. The fans’ love for JuJu is not just the result of her performances on the court. Watkins contributes significantly to her community and its upliftment, something she gets from her family and is paramount to her. “I would like to say I’m really active when it comes to community… From a philanthropy aspect, I try to be as active as I can.” she said last year.

Another fan called JuJu “real life Superwoman,” a tag that would fit judging by her contributions on and off the hardwood.

As the support poured in, the fans began to look ahead to the next season. “The comeback about to be crazy” wrote the fan. Well, Caitlin Clark would jump aboard that train. After all, she believed, “kid will come back stronger than ever.”

While injuries to the ACL can take up to a year to fully heal, USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb provided an update last month saying, “She’s doing great. She’s in focus mode, rehab mode.” Add that to Juju showing up all well with her recent post, you can see fans dreaming of the successful season that’s to come. “Come back season about to be written in the history books,” echoed another.

But while joyous, the fans also ensured to send strength her way.“I hope you’re getting some Mamba meditation practice in your day!” said the comment, showcasing how much the USC crowd cares for her.

While Watkins had been an avid user of Instagram earlier, posting multiple times in a week, her presence on IG had taken a fall over the past months following her injury. And when she returned, how adoringly was she welcomed. Her recovery timeline still remains unclear, but the prayers are not stopping anytime soon.