NFL
By: Kevin Lucas
Just like on the football side of things the last year of the Pac-12 has a chance to be sensational. Andy Enfield and his USC Trojans could end up playing a major role in the final months of one of the most classic conferences in college basketball history. Now we still don’t know the status of Bronny James on whether he will play this season or not but regardless we are wishing him the best physically and especially mentally. With that being said the Trojans will be a major threat in the conference as they return a lot of talent from a season ago and bring in one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
With Boogie Ellis deciding to use his extra covid year he will yet again be the focal point for Coach Enfield and USC, as he averaged close to 18 points per game last year and is a dynamic scorer who is just wired to get a bucket. Ellis’ experience amongst a fairly young backcourt will play a pivotal role in how fast this group can click together. Joining Ellis in this tough backcourt is Isaiah Collier, who most people believe is the No. 1 point guard in the high school class of 2023 by way of Atlanta. Collier has all of the makings to be an elite college PG as his passing ability is rare in how he gets his guys quality shots in their spots and can sense where defenders will be before he makes a decision.
At 6’5 he is super creative at taking advantage of angles and getting two feet in the paint, forcing defenses to collapse trying to protect the rim. The one concern people have with Collier is his lack of a jump shot, but luckily he has teammates around him who can space the floor and make his life easier. One of those teammates goes by the name of Oziyah Sellers and he just might end up being the most important player on this 2023-24 SC roster. Sellers’ shooting prowess is something that the Trojans were missing last season during his freshman year.
His range is limitless and in late shot clock situations you can rely upon him to get off a good clean look with time dwindling. Kobe Johnson is the last of the backcourt members mentioned but what he does defensively cannot be understated and only impacts winning. Johnson was named to the Pac-12 All-defensive team in ’22-’23 and led SC in steals as well. His energy and willingness to guard the opposing team’s best player is a positive force that the rest of the team feeds off of. Having a player who leads by example and sets the tone defensively is something that all coaches globally truly appreciate and that’s exactly what Kobe Johnson is good for.
On the perimeter the Trojans brought in Washington State transfer DJ Rodman. Standing at 6’6 Rodman is a very steady wing player who doesn’t do any one thing amazing but does everything well. Being an intraconference transfer it shouldn’t take him too long to adjust to his new program and coach. Maybe the most intriguing player on this entire USC roster is Brandon Gardner. Gardner was the last player to join this incoming freshmen class as he originally committed to Mike Anderson and St. Johns but then reopened his recruitment after the Johnnies fired Anderson and decided to take his talents to the West Coast and play for coach Enfield. Gardner is 6’8 with a wingspan comparable to the great Alonzo Mourning. He will earn minutes his freshman year by defending at a high level and crashing the glass to get 2nd-chance opportunities or securing defensive boards. If Gardner stays the course and trusts in his grind then there is no doubt that he will eventually play in the NBA.
Rounding out the Trojan frontcourt are 4 guys who add different elements to this team but if they can just rebound, defend the rim, and give 14-18 points a game off of post touches, rolls, or pops off screens and putbacks, then they will help this team reach even bigger heights. Joshua Morgan is the vet who has an amazing shooting touch while Vincent Iwuchukwu is the best shot blocker of the group and should have a much larger presence in the paint as a sophomore.
Kijani Wright struggled as a true freshman who was thrown into the fire but he as well should be more stable having some real experience under his belt. Arrinten Page is the final member of this highly touted freshmen class who is also from Atlanta where he played with Isaiah Collier at Wheeler High School. Page has a ton of skill that will showcase itself at the Galen Center. His explosiveness at or around the rim is a sight to be seen and his pre-established chemistry with Collier will pay dividends during their first season in college.
The expectations for USC this upcoming season are high and for good reason. With their guard play alone they should be able to compete at a high level consistently and maybe even win the Pac-12 regular season title or Conference Tournament. They officially kick off their season on Monday, November 6th in Las Vegas vs. the Wildcats of Kansas State.
