What 5-Star Recruit Christian Collins Said About USC Trojans Coaches, Visit

The USC Trojans have a chance to make their 2026 recruiting class one of the best in program history. According to 247Sports, the top five players in the 2026 class hail from the Golden State.

As the Trojans look to set the foundation for the 2026 recruiting cycle, USC coach Eric Musselman has put the full court press on for five-star forward Christian Collins, who attends nearby St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California.

St. John Bosco's Max Ellis (5), left, and Christian Collins (11) guard Sandra Day O'Connor's Colton Watson (14) during the Nike Tournament of Champions at Highland High School Gym on Jan 2, 2025, in Gilbert, Ariz. | Cheryl Evans/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 1 power forward and No. 3 player in the class, Collins spoke with On3 about what his play style is and how he approaches the game.

“I’m very versatile and can play whatever the coach needs to put me on the floor. I can play the guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, or the center, really, I’m just very versatile and want to win. I’ve really developed this past year in learning how to move without the ball, and contributing to the team without the ball, cutting, rebounding, things like that," Collins said.

Collins has only taken one visit so far during his recruiting process so far and it was during the Trojans' 71-66 loss to Cal on in November 2024.

“The atmosphere there was insane. Everyone there was great, the fans were great, and the coaches were all really hype in the locker room. Being around that as they got ready for their game it was great. I have a good relationship with Coach Muss and things are great. They always text me talking about their games and telling me good job, and all that," Collins said.

Collins spoke optimistically about the Trojans' coaching staff and how often they keep in contact.

“It’s like a family over there," Collins said. "They’re in contact with me a lot. The support that USC has there was great, and I felt really welcomed there.”

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Jan 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts against the UCLA Bruins in the first half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC will have to battle it out with Oregon, Kentucky, Arizona and Cal for Collins' services. He told On3 that he has a ways to go in his recruitment, waiting until after the summer to plan more visits.

The Trojans' have made an offer to Collins' high school teammate, five-star guard Brandon McCoy, who is the No. 2 player in the country and the No. 1 points guard in his class according to 247Sports. Interestingly enough, USC held a commitment from Collins' other St. John Bosco teammate, 2025 four-star forward Elzie Harrington, who de-committed from the Trojans and landed with San Diego State.

With the Trojans' proximity to some of the best recruits in the nation for the 2026 cycle, Musselman is in prime position to land some of the top talent at the high school level. Musselman has already shown the ability to land elite, local talent with the addition of five-star guard Alijah Arenas from the 2025 recruiting class.

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