USC Trojans Among Final Five Schools For Talented Transfer Forward

The USC Trojans look to land this talented transfer player from the Villanova Wildcats.

Feb 8, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman looks on from the bench during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The USC Trojans and coach Eric Musselman had another impressive offseason of adding talent in the transfer portal, and they may not be done just yet with the 2026-27 college basketball season on the horizon.

According to 247Sports National Basketball Recruiting Analyst Dushawn London, the Trojans are among the five final schools for Villanova Wildcats transfer forward Duke Brennan. The other four schools on Brennan’s list include the Oregon Ducks, Oklahoma Sooners, Ole Miss Rebels, and Villanova Wildcats, who are working to keep him in Philadelphia.  

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Villanova Wildcats forward Duke Brennan (24) at press conference ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward from Chandler, Arizona, started his collegiate career with the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he played one season in Tempe and two years with the Grand Canyon Lopes, helping them reach the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons. 

This past season with the Wildcats, Brennan was one of Villanova's top scorers, averaging 12.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. The Wildcats finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-9 overall record and went 15-5 in Big Ten play, falling to the Utah State Aggies 86-76 in the first round of the tournament as a No. 8 seed.

USC Trojans Transfer Portal Additions

Jan 10, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Georgetown Hoyas guard KJ Lewis (5) is introduced before a game against the Seton Hall Pirates at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If he chooses the Trojans, Brennan would be the eighth addition in the transfer portal this offseason for USC. The Trojans 2026 transfer portal class is among the best in the Big Ten and ranked No. 24 overall, per 247Sports. Two teams rank ahead of the Trojans in the transfer portal rankings, including the Indiana Hoosiers (No. 7) and the defending national champions, the Michigan Wolverines (No. 13).

Notable additions for the Trojans in the portal this offseason include Georgetown Hoyas guard KJ Lewis, Colgate Raiders guard Jalen Cox, and UConn Huskies center Eric Reibe. Lewis and Cox both provide much-needed depth at the guard position this offseason for the Trojans. 

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UConn Huskies center Eric Reibe (12) dunks the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The impact that Reibe can have this season for the Trojans, however, is uncertain, as the former Huskies center recently underwent right foot surgery, an injury that he re-aggravated after suffering it last season during the Huskies' run to the national championship game.

With Reibe’s timetable to return uncertain, bringing in a player like Brennan as a transfer addition would be valuable for the Trojans' depth at the forward position as they continue to improve their rim protection with the return of former Virginia Cavaliers star Jacob Cofie.

USC Trojans 2026-27 Season Outlook

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Rodney Rice (1) shoots a free throw during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trojans are entering their third season under Musselman and looking to break their streak of missing the tournament dating back to the 2022-23 season. After a strong 12-1 start to the 2025-26 season, notable injuries and a lack of depth in their backcourt led to the Trojans finishing the year on an eight-game losing streak and missing the tournament with an 18-14 overall record and going 7-13 in Big Ten play. 

Entering this season, the Trojans' backcourt will be back at full strength with guards Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas, who look to form one of the most dominant backcourts in the Big Ten this season. 

Dec 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) warms up prior to the game against the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before his right shoulder injury that ended his season, Rice proved his potential to be a leader for the Trojans in the six games he played, averaging 20.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. 

Rising sophomore guard Alijah Arenas is expected to take a major step forward this season in the Trojans' backcourt. Following his debut in mid-January, Arenas showed promise. In the 14 games Arenas played, he averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. 

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