Why JuJu Watkins to the Comets would mark 'full circle moment' for USC star

USC’s JuJu Watkins is still projected to be the No. 1 pick in the loaded 2027 WNBA Draft despite missing the 2025-26 season with an ACL tear that kept her out for 580 days and an entire year. The Houston Comets and Toronto Tempo currently hold the joint-best odds for the top selection, even though the draft lottery hasn’t happened yet. ESPN’s Michael Voepel frames a potential move to Houston as a “full-circle moment”: the Comets return to Texas after relocating from Connecticut, and Cynthia Cooper was the USC guard who starred when the franchise launched in 1997. Building a backcourt with Watkins and Leila Lacan could define the Comets’ rebuild.