USC Trojans Add Former WNBA Draft Pick McKenzie Forbes to Staff as JuJu Watkins Returns
USC women’s basketball continues to build momentum ahead of the 2026-27 season, welcoming back former standout McKenzie Forbes as a player development assistant while star guard JuJu Watkins returns to full health.
Watkins is back on the court after missing the entire 2025-26 campaign with a torn ACL. Despite losing their All-American, the Trojans still reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With their leading star healthy again and new additions joining the program, USC is positioning itself for another strong season.
The Trojans officially announced Forbes’ hiring on social media.
“Got a familiar face back on campus!” USC Women’s Basketball posted. “Fired up to announce Kenzie Forbes will serve as a Player Development Assistant this summer.”
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb praised Forbes’ return, highlighting both her basketball knowledge and leadership qualities.
“It’s been incredible to have Kenzie back with the program in an official capacity this summer as a player development assistant,” Gottlieb said. “She’s always had an advanced understanding of the game, along with the leadership and teaching ability that make her such a valuable resource. She still has a bright professional career ahead of her, but having her work with our team before heading overseas has been extremely beneficial.”
Forbes Brings Valuable Experience
Forbes enjoyed an outstanding lone season at USC, averaging 14.3 points and 3.3 assists per game while earning All-Pac-12 honors and being named the Pac-12 Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
She was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft but was waived before the regular season began. Forbes later spent training camp with the Dallas Wings before being released ahead of the 2025 season.
Her professional success has come overseas, where she captured an NBL1 South championship with Australia’s Waverley Falcons while averaging 16 points per game. She also competed for the Mainland Pouākai in New Zealand’s Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa league.
Those experiences should prove valuable as she helps mentor USC’s young roster.
Watkins Excited About Trojans’ New-Look Roster
With Watkins back in the lineup, USC will feature one of its most talented teams in recent years. During her absence last season, much of the spotlight shifted to freshman Jazzy Davidson, but the two will now share the floor for the first time.
The Trojans have also added highly regarded newcomers, including Saniyah Hall and Sitaya Fagan, giving the program another influx of elite talent.
Watkins recently expressed enthusiasm about the team’s outlook heading into the new season.
“I’m super excited,” Watkins said. “We have a lot of great pieces coming in. From Jazzy to Saniyah and so many other great additions, plus our returning players. The biggest thing is continuing to build our culture, stay disciplined, and keep improving every day.”
USC Positioned for a Deep Run
The combination of experienced veterans, elite incoming freshmen, and Watkins’ return gives USC one of the nation’s most intriguing rosters entering the 2026-27 season.
Adding Forbes to the coaching staff further strengthens the program by providing young players with a mentor who recently navigated the transition from college basketball to the professional ranks. Her perspective should help bridge the gap for USC’s next generation of talent.
With Watkins healthy once again and a roster loaded with depth and potential, the Trojans appear well positioned to make a deeper postseason run than they have in recent years.
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