Gonzaga making strong push for USC transfer Desmond Claude

Bulldogs continue to look for experienced talent to round out their backcourt

USC Trojans transfer Desmond Claude (1) has received interest from the Gonzaga Bulldogs since entering the portal. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The college basketball transfer portal can sometimes be just as ironic as it is chaotic.

After missing out on Maryland transfer Rodney Rice — a 6-foot-3 guard who had Gonzaga in his final six before he committed to USC — the Bulldogs have reportedly made a strong push toward acquiring a former Trojans guard who entered the portal at the last minute following Rice's decision.

According to an On3+ article from Joe Tipton, the Zags are one of a few teams that are "making strong pushes" for USC transfer Desmond Claude, along with Ole Miss and Virginia. Florida is considered to be in the best position to land Claude, who also entered his name into the NBA draft pool upon entering the portal.

Gonzaga is among the handful of schools that have reached out to Claude since his decision to enter the portal made him one of the most talented guards available on the open market. He's also heard from BYU and Indiana, according to 247Sports.

Claude took home honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after averaging 15.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds this past season, appearing in 33 games and making 32 starts for Eric Musselman's squad.

After scoring just under 12 points per game in November, Claude certainly turned things up a notch with several big-time scoring outputs in conference play, highlighted by a 31-point outburst against Illinois back in January. He scored 30 points against Rutgers on Feb. 23, then dropped 28 on the Scarlet Knights not even a month later in the conference tournament. Claude had one double-double on the season in a 25-point, 11-assist effort against Washington.

After bringing back Graham Ike, Braden Huff and a few of other key pieces from last season's squad, the Bulldogs' offseason focus appears to have shifted toward acquiring experienced talent to round out the 2025-26 roster. Per Tipton, Gonzaga has emerged as the favorite to land Arizona State transfer Adam Miller. The 6-foot-3 guard shot 42.9% from behind the 3-point arc last season.

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