Angel Reese, Lisa Leslie Send Prayers To JuJu Watkins After Season-Ending Injury

The entire basketball community is rallying behind JuJu Watkins after she suffered a devastating injury during the NCAA tournament on Monday ... with names like Angel Reese and Lisa Leslie wishing her a speedy recovery.

The unfortunate incident happened in the first five minutes of USC's second-round matchup against Mississippi State at the Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Watkins -- the Big Ten Player of the Year -- was driving to the basket on a fast break when her knee buckled, forcing her to fall to the floor and grab her right leg in excruciating pain.

USC revealed Watkins -- averaging 23.9 points per game this season -- would undergo season-ending surgery for a torn ACL ... and basketball fans were heartbroken.

Reese sent her prayers to Watkins with a message on X ... while Leslie -- one of the greatest USC Trojans of all time -- expressed how crushed she was by the news, but stated her comeback will be great to witness.

"My heart is broken 💔," Leslie said on the X app. "I will keep you in my prayers 🙏🏾 @Jujubballin I know you will be back stronger and better!! Fight On @USCWBB for Juju ✌🏾."

Other athletes sent their prayers to Watkins, including Dez Bryant, Shannon Sharpe, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and LSU star Flau'jae Johnson.

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was emotional while discussing the injury in her postgame press conference ... but praised her team for securing the win despite losing Watkins.

"They rallied for her, they rallied for each other, our fans had our back," Gottlieb said. "I'm just really proud and I think we should what kind of team we are."