The crazy internet conspiracy theory blaming Jayden Daniels’ mother for Juju Watkins’ injury
After USC Trojans star Watkins sustained a torn ACL in the March Madness tournament on Monday, some internet users offered a very strange take on the incident.
After USC basketball star Juju Watkins suffered serious knee-ligament damage this week, internet users have drawn a bizarre connection between the injury and an earlier incident involving Watkins and the mother of an NFL quarterback.
Watkins set for long injury layoff
Watkins tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the Trojans’ 96-59 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Monday, as USC progressed to the Sweet 16 round of the Women’s March Madness tournament.
USC has confirmed that the 19-year-old’s season is now over. “She will undergo surgery and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter,” the team said in a statement after the victory at Los Angeles’ Galen Center.
Now in her second year with USC, Watkins has enjoyed an excellent season in 2025, averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
The Californian has been named Big Ten Player of the Year and USBWA National Player of the Year, and is well-placed to succeed former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark as the Naismith College Player of the Year.
Watkins was announced on the four-player shortlist for the accolade on Tuesday, along with UCLA’s Lauren Betts, UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo.
“Kid will come back stronger”
In the wake of Watkins’ injury, Clark was among the well-wishers who offered the teenager words of support. “Sending all my thoughts and prayers to JuJu,” the Indiana Fever point guard posted on social media on Tuesday. “Kid will come back stronger than ever.”
Sending all my thoughts and prayers to JuJu. Kid will come back stronger than ever ❤️
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) March 25, 2025
Elsewhere on the internet, however, there have been some rather less sensitive, sensible reactions to Watkins’ injury.
Most notably, some social-media users have begun to joke that the player’s ACL tear might have had something to do with an encounter she had with the mother of Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“Everything good till she ran into boy mama”
At the weekend, Watkins and Daniels were all smiles as they were seen chatting in the Galen Center stands while watching a March Madness game. Later, however, TV images showed that Daniels’ mom, Regina Jackson, had separated the pair by sitting down in between them.
@thefinal_official Jayden Daniels mom got right in between him & JuJu Watkins 🤣 #jaydendaniels #jujuwatkins #marchmadness #commanders #usc
♬ Anxiety - Doechii
Jackson has spoken publicly about her determination not to allow her single son to be adversely impacted by the influence of romantic suitors.
This has led one YouTuber, for example, to post a video entitled: “Did Jayden Daniels’ mom put [a] voodoo over Juju Watkins, causing [her] ACL injury?”
Per Hola! Magazine, another social media user has noted that “everything was good till she [Watkins] ran into that boy mama.“ A similar post picked up by Hola! read: “Energy is really REAL wish people understand that.”
While some have pointed the finger at Jackson, others were quick to blame Mississippi State’s players for Watkins’ ACL tear, despite the fact that it appears to have been a largely non-contact injury.
Bulldogs star badly affected by role in Watkins injury
USA Today’s Jordan Mendoza reports that Galen Center loudly booed Bulldogs players in the immediate aftermath of the injury, particularly the guard Chandler Prater, who was closest to Watkins when she fell down injured.
After the game, USA Today was told by a Mississippi State representative that Prater was “not doing well”.
Prater’s Bulldogs colleague Denim DeShields told the media outlet: “It’s obviously an unfortunate position to be in because it was totally unintentional, and it was just a basketball play. But when things happen to a star, I guess they can be seen worse than they actually are.
“She [Prater] will be fine. We’ve just got to move past it and prayers to JuJu.”
Who do the USC Trojans play next in March Madness?
The Trojans, who are chasing the third Women’s March Madness title in program history, take on the Kansas State Wildcats in the Sweet 16.
Held in Spokane, Washington, the matchup is to be played on Saturday, March 29, with tipoff scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
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