USC Basketball: How Eric Musselman Intends To Approach LA-Area Recruiting

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 10, 2024

Mar 14, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman calls in a play. / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The USC Trojans could be without all nine of their best players (in terms of minutes distribution) heading into the 2024-25 season, depending on whether or not probable first round pick Isaiah Collier declares for the 2024 NBA draft.

According to The Los Angeles Times' Thuc Nhi Nguyen, new head coach Eric Musselman appreciates just how good local products can be as he approaches his recruiting process and the NCAA transfer portal. The team lost the commitment of local Harvard-Westlake star Trent Perry, who had been just the latest in a long line of great Southern California finds from former head coach Andy Enfield, now off to SMU.

“The L.A. area has always had really great players,” Musselman said. “I think back to when I was 12, 13, 14 years old and there were great players, there always will and always has been, so we need to recruit this market to the best of our ability once we get a staff together.”

As Nguyen notes, Enfield had added such hometown heroes and Rancho Christians' Evan and Isaiah Mobley, Chino Hill's Onyeka Okongwu, and Lawndale's Chimezie Metu. The school will face some impressive high school classes in 2025 and '26. Musselman, a great recruiter, will have his work cut out for him.