When a reporter asked about an injured member of the South Carolina women’s basketball team, head coach Dawn Staley was quick to shift the conversation. “We don’t like to bring that up,” she admitted, before offering some updates on forward Ashlyn Watkins, who’s been sidelined since January with a torn ACL.
On April 5, Staley was asked to reflect on how the team has adjusted without Watkins and what the future might hold for the sophomore.
“We don’t really like talking about Ashlyn,” Staley responded. “Not because we don’t care, but because when we suffer a loss like that, we don’t dwell on it.”
Still, she gave a few insights into Watkins’ recovery.
“Her rehab has been going well,” Staley shared. “She’s been off crutches for a while now. Of course, there have been moments we’ve missed her, but we try not to focus on that since it’s out of our control.”
Staley emphasized how proud she is of the team’s success in Watkins’ absence.
“The fact that we’ve made it this far without her is pretty remarkable. It’s not something that gets talked about often, and we don’t bring it up much either,” she said. “But getting her back—with her athleticism, shot-blocking, perimeter and post defense, and her ability to create shots—that’ll be a big boost.”
Staley expects Watkins to rejoin team activities in the coming months.
“Her return to full basketball activity, at least from our standpoint—though her doctors may not love me saying this—should be around midsummer to late summer,” Staley explained. “That’s when we’ll really be able to get hands-on and integrate her back into the team.”
