Jayson Tatum’s night took an unfortunate turn during the Celtics-Kings showdown on Monday when Domantas Sabonis’ reckless closeout left him writhing in pain. Attempting a three-pointer in the third quarter at Golden 1 Center, Tatum came down on Sabonis’ foot, twisting his left ankle on impact. He hit the floor immediately, clearly in agony, before teammates helped him over to the bench.

While Boston fans held their breath, another gut-wrenching moment was unfolding hundreds of miles away, albeit in the same state. USC star JuJu Watkins, one of the biggest names in the tournament, went down in a heap against Mississippi State. With 4:43 left in the game, she tried to split two defenders but suddenly collapsed, clutching her right knee. The pain on her face said it all—this wasn’t just a minor knock.

Both Tatum and Watkins are the heart and soul of their teams—Tatum, the face of the Celtics, leading Boston’s title chase, and Watkins, a breakout star carrying USC’s championship hopes, second only to Paige Bueckers.

Seeing two of basketball’s brightest talents go down within hours of each other sent shockwaves through the basketball world. Fans from both the NBA and college hoops couldn’t help but react, sharing their frustration, concern, and disbelief over the injuries that sidelined two key players on the biggest stages.

Fans feel like they have received a punch in the gut with Jayson Tatum and JuJu Watkin’s injuries

“When I seen Torn ACL trending, my immediate thought was that it was Jayson Tatum. But non the less I wish JuJu Watkins a speedy recovery. #Celtics #NBA” tweeted one fan. The fear of a torn ACL is something no basketball fan wants to experience, especially when it involves a star player like Jayson Tatum. Given how frequently these injuries derail seasons—just look at past cases like Derrick Rose in 2012 or Klay Thompson’s devastating ACL tear in the 2019 NBA Finals.

While it wasn’t Tatum, the unfortunate reality was that another rising star, JuJu Watkins, found herself at the center of concern. Watkins, USC’s offensive engine and one of the most electrifying talents in women’s college basketball, went down holding her knee in visible agony.

Another fan chimed in with, “juju watkins and jayson tatum getting injured on the same night is not a coincidence. i WILL find out who’s behind this, and i WILL throw out whatever TF they think they’re cooking”. Basketball history has seen its share of nights where multiple stars got hurt, leaving fans shaken. Back in January 18, 2021, when both James Harden and CJ McCollum suffered injuries that kept them out for extended periods.

The frustration behind this tweet is understandable. Watkins is USC’s heartbeat, putting up historic numbers as a freshman and leading her squad into March Madness. Tatum, on the other hand, is the face of a Celtics team with another championship aspirations.

“Waking up in the morning after donating my ACL to Juju Watkins and my ankle to Jayson Tatum… BTW heard Sabonis allegedly rehabbed with Deshaun Watson at his usual spots! @NBA look into it” wrote another fan along with a gif of a person waking with a cast on their leg. Fans would sure like to donate their body parts if it meant they could be remembered forever as the person who saved basketball.

But the second part of the tweet—mentioning Domantas Sabonis and Deshaun Watson—takes a sharp turn into NBA conspiracy territory. Although fans meant it as a joke, it echoes their frustration over reckless plays and a lack of accountability. The officials did not call Sabonis’ closeout on Tatum a flagrant at first, even though it dangerously invaded the shooter’s landing space.

The comparison to Watson, the NFL quarterback with a history of off-field issues, takes things into more satirical territory, but the core message remains the same.

“Juju Watkins and Jayson Tatum both getting hurt on the same day is too much pain for basketball fans to deal with.” expressed another fan.

Watkins has been the heart of USC’s tournament run, and seeing her clutch her knee immediately brought back memories of past devastating injuries in March Madness—think Bueckers’ ACL tear in 2022 or Kevin Ware’s infamous leg injury a decade ago. The timing couldn’t be worse, as USC looked poised to make a deep run with Watkins leading the charge.

On the other hand, Tatum’s injury struck a nerve for Celtics fans, who have watched their star put up MVP-caliber numbers of 25 points,7 rebounds 8 assists per game all season.

“Juju Watkins🙏🏾 Jayson Tatum🙏🏾” the simple yet powerful reaction captures exactly how basketball fans felt watching two of the sport’s brightest stars go down on the same night. Injuries are an unfortunate reality in sports, but when they happen to key players who are at the peak of their game, it stings even more.

No matter which team fans root for, no one ever wants to see injuries derail a player’s season—especially stars like Watkins and Tatum, who bring so much excitement to the game. Hopefully, both make swift and full recoveries, returning stronger than ever. Basketball just isn’t the same without them.