Jordan Horston ACL Injury Return: WNBA Star Shares Her Recovery and Recovery Plan for 2026 Return
Jordan Horston’s extraordinary rise to basketball superstardom was halted in February 2025, when the Texan tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left leg, knocking the passionate player off the court and requiring a lengthy recovery process. Fortunately, this brave lady is back and preparing for a comeback in the 2026 season, and in a recent interview with M&F Hers, she explained the injuries, the rehab, and the fire that still burns in basketball.
Who Jordan Horston? Career Timeline, Injury and Return
Tall Jordan Horston, born in Dallas, TX, attended Columbus Africentric High School in Ohio and helped his team win their second straight state title while in high school. As a standout guard, Horston committed to play college basketball for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, earning MVP honors in the McDonald’s All-American Game and helping NC AA make three championship appearances.
In 2023, Horston was the ninth pick of the WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm, and hit the ground running, playing over 35 games in her first two seasons and improving her shooting percentage from 36.7% in her rookie season to 49.3% the following year. Sadly, the exciting basketball star’s momentum will be derailed in February 2025, after Horston tore her ACL while playing in the Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball division, forcing her to confirm that the 2025 WNBA season will be off the table. While his time away from the game has been a rough test at times, it has also been an important process of discovery, faith, and serious character building.
What happened to Jordan Horston’s ACL?
“It was just a freak accident,” Horston recalled, as he recalled the accident that changed everything. “I had a strange feeling that day. I didn’t feel like myself.” The player explains that he was on his period during that bad game and wondered if his cycle could have contributed to the injury. Recent studies suggest that this is the lowest risk period, however, compared to two weeks earlier. However, studies have shown that women are 3.5 times more likely to tear the ACL playing basketball than men, and one of the determining factors is that women have smaller cruciate ligaments than men. “I just went over and overstretched, and that was my ACL,” Horston said.
The anterior cruciate ligament in the middle of the knee connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) and provides stability while controlling rotation. When tears occur, a long process of regeneration and recovery follows. Of course, for those who have identified themselves as an elite athlete, being forced out of sports creates psychological and physical problems. “Basketball is my source,” Horston said. “So, it was very difficult for me to take that.” However, the basketball player says the challenge brought him closer to God and encouraged him to discover other aspects of his character—so the game wasn’t his only highlight.
Jordan Horston’s ACL Rehab: Step-by-Step Recovery
After reconstructive surgery, Horston was determined to remain part of the team. “Sattle did a great job,” he explains. “They really did everything they could to make me feel involved and in the team as much as possible. It was hard. It was like breaking up with your ex and you have to see them every day.” Still, Horston is hanging in there and says the Seattle Storm coaches and teammates pulled him out of a dark place. “I had to learn to walk again,” he tells M&F Hers, noting that one of the biggest challenges was not walking too hard, and too fast in his recovery. “I was afraid to go to the toilet,” he remembers the pain he felt in those first days. “It was terrible.”
To rebuild muscle and stability, Horston began rehabbing by squeezing his quads. “I had no strength in my leg,” he explains. “The compression wasn’t working, and it was frustrating at first, but I was determined to do it.” Once the squeeze was done, the basketball player added ankle braces and did knee pulls, then the bike and was able to spin one pedal before going into the races. “I had to count the small wins, because I knew it was a long journey,” said the athlete, who added motivation.
Along with physical progress, came a mental shift. “If you didn’t know last year, I never wanted to do legs,” Horston said. “I hated doing legs. I was arms, arms, arms… That was a little bit ignorant, wasn’t it? Then I got injured, and now I’m like, ‘I need all the muscles in the leg’, especially in the knees, quads, hamstrings, glutes, claves, feet, ankles.
Horston shared that the recovery process has taught her that her legs are her “engine.” Now, he loves the leg extension machine, and is dialing in his deadlifts more than ever. Horston also does a lot of single leg work to correct any imbalances. This intense focus on filling her body has led to her becoming more conscious of her nutrition. “I am very serious about my diet and recovery,” he said. “I do cold baths and saunas and use a hyperbaric chamber. I feel a lot better. And, the better I feel, the better I play.”
Jordan Horston tells M&F Hers that he is now waiting to return, he will hit the court at 8.15 am for shooting practice, followed by physical activity sessions such as massage, muscle activation, or stability exercises. By 10am, the footballer is back on the field for practice and training, followed by a workout in the gym, some cardio, and then the all-important recovery. “Eat, sleep, and repeat,” he explains, winking. “To be honest, I don’t regret the injury at all,” Horston revealed. “It might sound funny, but I’m grateful for it, in a sense… It taught me how to really take care of my body on another level.”
Jordan Horston will return to the court for the WNBA’s 30th season, which begins on May 8, 2026.
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