USC Basketball: Freshman Star Lost His Love For The Game During Trojans' Losing Streak
A No. 16 preseason rank highlighted the Trojans' upside heading into this season.
Adding five-star guard Isaiah Collier, 4-star guard Bronny James, and returning several key pieces including stars Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson, USC had their loftiest expectations in a while – and rightfully so.
Things went south quickly, however, as an upset loss to Long Beach State University on December 10th preceded a complete collapse highlighted. by countless conference losses and double-digit non-conference losses.
An injury to Isaiah Collier was the cherry on top to what has since become a lost season for the Trojans. Here's what he had to say about their disappointing year, per Luca Evans of The Orange County Register:
Collier revealed that he lost some of his "joy" for the game, as going from being a 5-star recruit, the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and a McDonalds All-American to playing for arguably the worst team in the Pac-12 has to be a tough adjustment.
For Collier, being sidelined made it even worse, as there was nothing he could do to help his waning squad.
Now, at 10-16 with a 4-11 conference record, USC's lost season will likely be Collier's only one with the program, as he's a projected early lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
While his collegiate experience will leave much to be desired for, he's certainly improved as a player as he looks to represent USC at the professional level.
