What’s next for injured Gamecock Ashlyn Watkins? Dawn Staley updates status
Back in April 2024, Ashlyn Watkins was flying all over the floor for South Carolina, grabbing the most rebounds by a bench player in a Final Four game in 25 years.
This year, she’s in a much different position.
Watkins, a junior forward, has been watching the Gamecocks’ run to the 2025 women’s basketball national title game from the bench after she suffered a season-ending knee injury in January. One of the nation’s top shot blockers, Watkins tore her left ACL after landing awkwardly during a Jan. 5 game at Mississippi State.
The injury cut her season short at 14 games and added to a turbulent year for the Columbia native, who was also arrested last offseason on one charge of first degree assault and battery and one charge of kidnapping stemming from an Aug. 31 incident at an on-campus student housing complex.
Watkins was suspended indefinitely from team activities after her arrest and missed USC’s trip to the White House, all of its preseason practice schedule, two exhibition games and its season opener before her charges were dismissed in early November.
Court records showed the charges were dismissed because Watkins completed pre-trial intervention, a program that allows first-time non-violent offenders to have their charges dropped (and expunged) if they complete a number of requirements.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley — who spoke in depth about Watkins’ legal situation upon Watkins’ initial return to the team last fall — said on Saturday that South Carolina has missed Watkins at times this year, “but we don’t like to bring that up.”
“We’re a program that when we sustain a (injury) loss like that, we’re not hung up on that ... because there’s nothing that we can do about it,” Staley said from Amalie Arena, where the No. 1 Gamecocks play No. 2 UConn in the national title on Sunday.
“The fact we’re here without her is quite an incredible feat that is probably not talked about a whole lot — because we don’t talk about it a whole lot.”
Staley added that she anticipates Watkins returning to the team next season and that her recovery process should get the forward into a “real flow” this offseason.
Watkins averaged 9.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game for the Gamecocks’ 38-0 championship team in 2024 and was named second team All-SEC. Before her injury this season, she’d averaged 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
Watkins underwent knee surgery on Jan. 31, per USC. She’s continued to attend South Carolina practices and games and travel with the team, including to Birmingham for the Gamecocks’ Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games and Tampa.
During games, you can usually find her seated about five seats from the scorer’s table — to the immediate left of USC’s coaching staff, and to the immediate right of South Carolina’s players. That’s reflective of the altered role Watkins has embraced this season, something Staley has raved about and Watkins’ teammates agreed with.
“Injuries are isolating, but it didn’t take long for her to finally feel that, ‘OK, We need you. We need you elsewhere,’ ” USC center Adhel Tac said. “Obviously, it really sucks to have her out. Clearly, we miss her, and I know she misses playing.
“But she’s embraced that role so well.”
Watkins, Tac said, has gotten into the habit of telling South Carolina’s post players one tip or point of emphasis in their pregame huddle. And during games, Tac has gotten used to hearing Watkins’ voice from the bench along with USC’s assistant coaches — calling for rebounds, telling teammates to box out, “directing.”
“She’s really an extension of them now,” Tac said.
Senior guard Raven Johnson added: “I remember her screaming at Joyce (Edwards) one time like, ‘Joyce, you need to pick it up!’ … When Ash first got here, she was as quiet as a mouse. She wouldn’t say anything to nobody. So she’s really developed.”
What’s next for Ashlyn Watkins?
After Watkins’ charges were dismissed and she rejoined the team, Staley spoke extensively about her player’s arrest. She said Watkins had made a “terrible mistake” and the situation was “hard for everybody,” including Watkins, the victim in the incident, the University of South Carolina and USC’s athletics department.
“But I imagine that this isn’t the first time that has happened on any campus,” Staley said Nov. 8. “So you deal with it head on, just like Ashlyn did, and now she finds herself back. We’re not going to keep reliving it. We’re going to keep getting better and making better decisions.”
Watkins has not spoken to the media at any point this season. She also hasn’t been present during South Carolina’s postseason open locker room periods, when all players on the roster are generally available for interviews, because neither the SEC or the NCAA require injured players to be in the locker room at that time.
Staley said on Saturday that Watkins’ recovery process is “going smoothly” and she’s been off crutches for a while. Watkins should be able to return to doing on-court work in some capacity by mid to late summer, she said.
It’s unclear whether or not Watkins could pursue a medical redshirt waiver for this season. She’ll end up having appeared in 14 of USC’s 39 games (36%). NCAA guidance says players are only eligible for medical redshirts if they appeared in 30% or fewer of their team’s games, but those requirements are not always enforced.
“Her journey back will probably get her back into a real flow,” Staley said.
This story was originally published April 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
