Jordan Horston’s exceptional rise to basketball superstardom was halted in February 2025, when the Texan tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left leg, taking the passionate player off the court and requiring a lengthy recovery process. Fortunately, this fearless female is back and readying for a 2026 season return, and in a recent conversation with M&F Hers, explained the injury, rehab, and fire that still burns for basketball.
Who Is Jordan Horston? Career, Injury & Comeback Timeline
6’ 2” tall Jordan Horston, who was born in Dallas, TX, attended Columbus Africentric High School in Ohio and helped her team win their second straight state title while a high school senior. As a top guard, Horston committed to play college basketball for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, picking up MVP status in the McDonald’s All-American Game and helping Tennessee to make three NCAA Tournament appearances along the way.
By 2023, Horston was the ninth overall WNBA draft pick by the Seattle Storm, and she hit the ground running, playing more than 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 would 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 would be off the table. While her time out of the game has been a horrific ordeal at times, it’s 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,” reflects Horston, as she recalls the accident that changed everything. “I had a weird feeling that day. I didn’t feel like my usual self.” The player explains that she had been on her period during that ill-fated game and had wondered if her cycle could have played a part in the injury. Recent studies suggest that this is actually a time of the lowest risk, however, compared with the two weeks before a period. Still, research has shown that women are 3.5 times more likely to tear an ACL playing basketball than men, and one of the deciding factors is that women have thinner cruciate ligaments than men. “I just kind of overstepped and hyperextended, and that was my ACL,” says Horston.
The anterior cruciate ligament in the center of the knee connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) and provides stability while controlling rotation. When tears happen, a lengthy process of rehab and recovery ensues. Of course, for those who have carved out an identity as an elite athlete, being forced out of the action creates mental as well as physical issues. “Basketball is my outlet,” says Horston. “So, it was very, very hard for me to have that taken away.” Still, the basketballer says that this challenge pulled her closer to God and encouraged her to discover other elements of her character—so that sport was not her only defining feature.
Jordan Horston’s ACL Rehab: Step-by-Step Recovery Process
Following reconstructive surgery, Horston was determined to remain part of the team. “Seattle did a great job,” she explains. “They definitely did all they could to make me feel as involved and on the team as possible. It was hard. It was like breaking up with your ex and having to see them every day.” Still, Horston hung in there and says that Seattle Storm’s coaches and teammates lifted her out of a dark place. “I had to learn how to walk again,” she tells M&F Hers, noting that one of the biggest challenges was not to go too hard, and too fast with her recovery. “I dreaded having to go to the bathroom,” she recalls of the pain she felt in those early days. “It was the worst.”
To re-build her muscle and stability, Horston began her rehab by squeezing her quads. “I had no strength in my leg,” she explains. “The squeezing was not working, and it was kind of frustrating at first, but I was determined to get it done.” Once the squeezing became successful, the basketballer added ankle weights and did knee pulls, then came the bike and mastering a single pedal rotation before getting off to the races. “I had to count the little wins, because I knew it was a long journey,” says the inspiring athlete.
Along with the physical progress, came a shift in mindset. “If you knew me a year ago, I never wanted to do legs, ever,” says Horston. “I hated doing legs. I was just arms, arms, arms… That was just young-minded ignorance, right? And then I got hurt, and now I’m like, ‘I need every muscle in the leg’, especially around the knee, the quad, the hamstring, the glutes, claves, feet, ankles. I didn’t realize how much that plays into the stability of your body and keeping your knees safe.”
Horston shares that the recovery process has taught her that the legs are her “motor.” Now, she loves the leg extension machine, and dials into her deadlifts like never before. Horston also does a lot of single leg work to fix any imbalances. This greater focus on fulfilling her body has extended to being more mindful about her nutrition. “I’m a lot more intentional about my food, and recovery,” she says. “I do cold plunges and saunas and use a hyperbaric chamber. I just feel way better. And, when I feel better, I play better.”
Jordan Horston tells M&F Hers that she’s now raring for her return, hitting the court at 8.15 a.m. for shooting practice, followed by bodywork sessions such as massage, muscle activation, or stability exercises. By 10 a.m., the baller is back on the court for drills and practice, followed by a workout in the gym, some cardio, and then that all-important recovery. “Eat, sleep, and repeat,” she explains, with a glint in her eye. “Honestly, I don’t regret the injury at all,” reveals Horston. “Might sound funny, but I’m thankful for it, in a sense… It taught me how to really take care of my body on a whole other level.”
Jordan Horston is set to return to the court for the WNBA’s 30th season, beginning May 8, 2026.
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