USC Trojans
Key Additions
Desmond Claude (Xavier)
Terrance Williams II (Michigan)
Saint Thomas (Northern Colorado)
Chibuzo Agbo (Boise State)
Josh Cohen (Massachusetts)
Clark Slajchert (Penn)
Bryce Pope (UC San Diego)
Matt Knowling (Yale)
Kevin Patton Jr. (San Diego)
Isaiah Elohim (4-star recruit)
Wesley Yates (Washington)
2023-2024 Result: 15-18 record (8-12 PAC 12)
Key Losses
Bronny James
Vincent Iwuchukwu
Kobe Johnson
Oziyah Sellers
Joshua Morgan
DJ Rodman
Boogie Ellis
Projected Starting Lineup
Head Coach: Eric Musselman (1st season)
Guard: Desmond Claude (JR)
Guard: Terrance Williams (5th year)
Forward: Saint Thomas (5th year)
Forward: Chibuzo Agbo (5th year)
Center: Josh Cohen (5th year)
Much like other teams with new coaches, the USC Trojans have lots of roster turnover this year. They lost their top 8 leading scorers, including their star backcourt of Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier. They have an entirely new lineup this season that will be led by first-year coach, Eric Musselman, who came over in a surprise move from Arkansas.
USC lost its entire roster from a year ago with new coach Eric Musselman coming over from Arkansas. The defense will look entirely different than it did last season, as you would expect. New coach with a different defensive scheme and all new personnel. What they did last year is completely irrelevant. The main concern for this defense will be its ability to protect the rim, as there is no true shot blocker like they had last year with Joshua Morgan. The perimeter defense should be pretty good with length and size at the guard positions. The shortest player in their starting lineup is 6 ‘6, so that should bother opposing defenses. Desmond Claude, Terrance Williams, and Saint Thomas will create all kinds of issues for opposing defenses, but it is what is protecting the rim behind them that is the concern. With Morgan graduated and rim protector in training, Vincent Iwuchukwu transferred to St. John’s, Josh Cohen will have to be the rim protector, which he is not. This team is big across the board, but they are missing true bigs. They just have a bunch of guys between 6 ‘6 and 6 ‘8, which is great and all, but will challenge them to defend good big men and protect the rim.
Offensively, the Trojans lost all of their scoring, particularly Boogie Ellis, Isaiah Collier, and Kobe Johnson who combined for about 45 points per game last season. Musselman went out and got a bunch of guys from all over the country to replace the top eight scorers who departed Southern California. Desmond Claude, Saint Thomas, and Chibuzo Agbo figure to be the leaders of the offense, but with so many guys coming in who played such big roles on their previous teams, some of them will have to take a reduction in role if they want what is best for the team. Claude will undoubtedly be the top offensive option, but after that, it may be a more balanced approach with those chipping in varying on a nightly basis. Terrance Williams will be relied on to do what he did last year at Michigan, which was shoot the three at a high rate. This offense will likely take some time to gel and figure out rotations and groups that mix well together, but Eric Musselman is a good coach. USC might not be ready to rock and roll early in the season, especially early in BIG 10 play, but the offense should improve drastically over the course of the season.
USC looks like they are headed for a mediocre season. Their defense isn’t superb and the offense has too many question marks and no continuity, which will put them off to a slow start. Combine that with all the travel they will have to do in the BIG 10 and their lack of home-court advantage, and the USC Trojans will miss out on postseason play in 2025.