USC Trojans' Jacob Cofie Turning Heads After NBA Combine Experience

After making several additions through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, the USC Trojans and coach Eric Musselman could be ready for a much better performance in the Big Ten during the 2026 season. However, one of the bigger storylines does appear to be the return of forward Jacob Cofie, who was going to declare for the NBA Draft but ultimately decided to return to USC for next season.

As a result of Cofie’s decision, Musselman and the Trojans now get a very experienced player back who could help mentor the young players on USC’s roster and potentially put the Trojans in a position to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

USC Coach Eric Musselman Makes Strong Statement Forward Jacob Cofie Big Ten Versatile Frame Strong Mindset 2026 Season — Jan 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Jacob Cofie (6) enters the court before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

High Potential For Jacob Cofie

With the understanding of how impactful the return of Cofie could be for USC, Trojans assistant coach Michael Musselman revealed his thoughts on how Cofie can impact the team next season.

“He was already mature, but now he's growing into an elite basketball player and elite man off the floor. We're super excited that he got that experience and that he's coming to the gym even hungrier. Some guys will go to the combine and think they don't need to keep trying. But he came back, and he's working harder. He's in the gym more, getting up more shots on his own. He's getting extra lifts in. So seeing a guy who goes through that experience, gets that confidence, and comes back with the right mindset is big time,” Musselman said on the return of Cofie.

As Michael Musselman alluded to, bringing back a player like Cofie, who is experienced but is also very hungry to continue to get better, could have a major impact in pushing the rest of the team and continuing to establish and strengthen the culture that USC is building.

Even though Cofie earned an invite to the NBA Combine, he definitely has some things to work on, which is why he continues to stay motivated to have an even better season in 2026.

One area that Cofie could improve is his ability to be more consistent at the free-throw line. In 2024, when Cofie played for Virginia, he shot 75 percent from the free-throw line, while he shot 60.5 percent from the line in 2025. In a conference like the Big Ten that has national contenders, points often come at a premium, and leaving points at the free-throw line is not something USC can afford to do.

However, Cofie is a well-rounded player and could emerge as USC’s top contributor on both ends of the floor. During the 2025 season, Cofie averaged 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. As a scorer, Cofie was able to be efficient as he ended with shooting splits of 51 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three. If Cofie can improve his free-throw percentage, he could become one of the more balanced scorers in the conference.

Across the stat sheet, Cofie demonstrated that he can contribute in nearly every area on both offense and defense with his 6-10 and 231-pound frame.

On offense, Cofie’s frame gives him the ability to attack bigger defenders in space and finish over them at the rim while also being able to see the floor well and make plays for his teammates.

Conversely, on defense, Cofie’s larger frame allows him to be very disruptive in passing lanes, which can cause opposing offenses to struggle trying to initiate offense. Cofie’s build also gives him the ability to alter shots at the rim in addition to having the athleticism to defend on the perimeter.

Based on the versatility that Cofie’s frame provides him, USC could be in a much better position during Big Ten conference play with him coming back. In the Big Ten, being able to have versatile pieces, especially on defense, is critical with every team having different skill sets, whether it be more size on the interior or having more of an emphasis on guard play on the perimeter.

Last season, the Michigan Wolverines won the national championship, and a major reason for that was their ability to dominate in the paint, but also have the guards to create problems for other teams on the perimeter as well.

So, as Cofie and USC prepare for next season, his leadership and versatility on both ends of the floor are factors that could help the Trojans to take a step forward and potentially get back to the NCAA Tournament.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google