Meet The 7-Foot Brothers Who Turned Down Texas For USC Trojans In Recruiting Shock

The USC Trojans landed their first commits of the 2026 recruiting cycle with the additions of four-star power forward Adonis Ratliff and four-star center Darius Ratliff. USC coach Eric Musselman was able to land the twin brothers over the Texas Longhorns.

Feb 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are finally on the board in the 2026 recruiting class. After missing out on a few of their top targets to begin the 2026 cycle, coach Eric Musselman and the Trojans landed a pair of talented four-star recruits.

Darius and Adonis Ratliff announced their commitment to USC over Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas. It's a major recruiting win for the Trojans, who went across the country to land the highly-coveted twin brothers from New York.

The Fit

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

Darius Ratliff checks in as the higher-rated recruit. He is ranked as the No. 4 center and No. 43 player in the country according to 247Sports' rankings. Standing at 6-11, 210 pounds, Ratliff is a multi-dimensional center and an offensive enigma.

Ratliff plays like a modern day big man. He can take the ball upcourt with ease, shoot, and play solid defense. Despite being listed as a center, Ratliff could easily slide over to the four spot and play a bit of forward if the Trojans decided to run a bigger lineup.

Interestingly enough, Darius Ratliff is the first high school center prospect that Musselman has landed during his time at USC.

Adonis Ratliff is ranked as the No. 10 power forward and No. 52 player in the country. He has nearly the same measurement as his brother and stands at 6-11, 215 pounds. The four-star power forward is also the first high school forward that Musselman has landed during his time at USC.

Why USC?

Jan 14, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Darius Ratliff spoke with 247Sports after committing to the Trojans and said that he and his brother's decision to travel across the country and commit to USC was simple.

"I want to win a national championship and show people that I wasn't overrated in high school or made the wrong decision," he said. "I picked this school for a reason. God led me in this direction. A championship is only right, and I want to get ready to go pro, whether that's one or two years. Taking that next step," Ratliff said.

Musselman's track record for landing talented recruits and quickly shipping them out to the NBA has been tried and tested from his time at Arkansas and Nevada. Now, the Trojans' second-year coach will have a chance to do the same at USC.

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Star-Studded Trio?

Dec 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Ratliff brothers won't be on campus until next year, but it's safe to say that they will contribute early on in their careers in some form or another. With USC's five-star freshman Alijah Arenas expected to miss significant time this season with a knee injury, there could be a possibility where Arenas returns for his sophomore season next year.

That could give Musselman an exciting trio of players to work with heading into the 2026-27 season if everything pans out.

 USC has the chance to add to their 2026 recruiting class with a couple of other talented recruits still on the board like five-star forwards Christian Collins and Tyran Stokes.