Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
USC (Projected: 13th in B1G)
Eric Musselman was one of the first steps to a giant chain reaction in the coaching carousel this offseason. Musselman traded Fayetteville for Los Angeles, leaving Arkansas to become the head coach of USC. Musselman had reached three straight Sweet 16’s at Arkansas before this past season, a disappointing 16-17 overall mark. With a roster full of transfers, it will be interesting to see if Musselman can put it all together.
Sophomore forward Harrison Hornery (3 ppg) for the Trojans after a mass exodus following the departure of Andy Enfield. With the disappointing season the team just went through, a near-complete refresh was probably in the program’s best interest. Hornery played 14 mpg last season and was a solid rebounder in those limited minutes but will likely see less playing time as a sophomore.
Ten rotational players left the program with Enfield, most notably the backcourt duo of Boogie Ellis (17 ppg) and Isaiah Collier (16 ppg, 4 apg). Kobe Johnson (11 ppg), Bronny James (5 ppg), and Oziyah Sellers (5 ppg) round out the losses in the backcourt. The Trojans frontcourt lost DJ Rodman (8 ppg, 5 rpg), Joshua Morgan (6 rpg), Vincent Iwuchukwu (6 ppg), Kijani Wright (4 ppg), and Arrinten Page (3 ppg).
Eleven transfers landed in the hands of Eric Musselman, a couple of power conference level guys and a large crop of mid-major talent. Desmond Claude (17 ppg at Xavier) is likely the biggest name of the group, a slashing guard who broke out as a sophomore at Xavier last season. My projected backcourt pairing for Claude is UCSD transfer Bryce Pope (18 ppg at UCSD). Pope was a high-level scorer in the Big West last season and will stick in SoCal while making the jump up to the Big Ten. Another guy I think can make an impact in the backcourt is Penn transfer Clark Slajchert (18 ppg at Penn). Slajchert is the best shooter of the three, shooting 42.2% from behind the arc last season. The final transfer guard is Wesley Yates III (Redshirt at Washington) who comes over to USC after spending his freshman season redshirting at Washington.
Northern Colorado transfer Saint Thomas (20 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 apg at Northern Colorado) starts the list of incoming wins for the Trojans. Thomas dominated in the Big Sky last season, recording 19 double-doubles and six 25+ point outings. Chibuzo Agbo (14 ppg, 5 rpg at Boise State) is the guy I project to start at the three for USC, a good scorer, defender, and shooter (40.9% 3P last season) during his time at Boise State. Matt Knowling (12 ppg, 5 rpg at Yale) and Kevin Patton Jr. (10 ppg at San Diego) are two different types of wings and give this spot in the lineup good depth and versatility. Knowling is a veteran, a physical wing and good defender, whereas Patton is an extremely athletic wing, a rising sophomore with a very high ceiling.
The final position group of transfers, the forwards, bring three newcomers to USC. Michigan transfer Terrence Williams II (12 ppg, 5 rpg) is my pick to start at the four, a guy who rebounds well at 6-7 and can space the floor (39.7% 3P). My pick to join him in the frontcourt is UMass transfer Josh Cohen (16 ppg, 7 rpg at UMass) a two-time transfer that started at St. Francis (PA). Cohen brings the physical presence on the interior and is a pretty good scorer inside the paint. Rashaun Agee (13 ppg, 10 rpg at Bowling Green) gives the frontcourt some depth, a veteran forward who was one of the top rebounders in the MAC last season.
On the high school recruiting trails, Eric Musselman found two freshmen, both of whom could have an impact in their first season. Isaiah Elohim (4*, NAT 46) was originally committed to Musselman at Arkansas, following him to USC. Elohim is a 6-5 combo guard who has high potential on both sides of the ball. Jalen Shelley (4*, NAT 60) also followed Musselman from Arkansas, a 6-8 forward who gives the frontcourt some more athleticism.
It was very strange to see Eric Musselman jump ships to USC this offseason, after just one down year at Arkansas. I do love the fit though, a program that needs a bit of a revival and a coach that will crowd surf and take his shirt off after big wins. Musselman will need to instill his culture first at USC though, a step that I think may take a season or two with a team full of newcomers.
It’s hard to tell what this lineup and rotation will look like with every single player playing at a different school last season. My X-factor for USC is Michigan transfer Terrence Williams II. Williams is a guy that was pretty solid on a bad Michigan team and I think could take a role as a leader and important figure on this USC team.
Outside of the top five or six teams in the Big Ten, I think the conference is extremely even. I’ve got USC finishing 13th in the new 18-team Big Ten, a bit of a sluggish year with a squad full of newcomers and no real alpha talent.