Three Reasons Why USC Should Pursue Audi Crooks in the Transfer Portal

Headlined by the return of star guard JuJu Watkins and incoming 2026 recruiting class featuring three five-stars, the USC Trojans have real championship expectations entering next season. With those expectations, the Trojans may need one more star through the transfer portal to bring it all together. Enter Iowa State star forward Audi Crooks.

Crooks announced Thursday that she is entering the portal after spending three seasons with the Cyclones, capped off by a 37-point NCAA Tournament performance against the Syracuse Orange in the Sweet 16. Now the Trojans have a clear opportunity to make title-defining move.

Iowa State Cyclones' center Audi Crooks USC Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb USC guard JuJu Watkins Jazzy Davidson Big Ten — Iowa State Cyclones' center Audi Crooks (55) drives to the basket around Arizona State Sun Devils center Martina Fantini (7) during the second quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 18, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After averaging averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds this season while shooting 64.9 percent from the field, Crooks continued to show why is one of the most dominant interior scorers in the country. If USC wants to shift from contender to favorite, this is the swing. The Trojans already enter next season with talent at every position, but adding Crooks would completely tilt the balance of power in favor of the Trojans.

Crooks Tips the Talent Scales for USC

The potential lineup rotation alone with Audi Crooks added to the mix would strike fear into most teams across the country. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb would be trotting out a starting lineup of JuJu Watkins, Jazzy Davidson, Kennedy Smith, Crooks and potentially one of five-star freshman Sitaya Fagan or Sara Okeke for the other frontcourt spot.

That would still have two five stars coming off the bench in either of Fagan or Okeke alongside the no.1 ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class, Saniyah Hall.

Crooks also solves two problems that the Trojans struggled with throughout the 2026 season. The first is scoring. Aside from Jazzy Davidson and senior guard Kara Dunn, the scoring output was inconsistent. Sure getting Watkins back from the ACL injury will be a great upgrade from the departing Dunn, but all the scoring remains in the backcourt.

Coming off of being the second-leading scorer in the nation, Crooks would add a much needed scoring punch in the frontcourt that USC lost when Kiki Iriafen, now of the Washington Mystics, entered the 2025 WNBA Draft.

The Trojans also struggled a ton with rebounding, hence why Davidson had to lead the charge with 5.9 board per game. In 2026, the combination of sophomore forward Dayana Mendes and freshman forward Laura Williams combined for 7.6 rebounds. Crooks in three seasons averages 7.7 rebounds per game. Meaning she alone could provide much needed activity on the boards and give the two young forwards a bit more room to develop rather than them having to bring instant impact.

One Big Swing Over Small Portal Wins

USC has already proven that they can win in the portal. Georgia Tech senior guard transfer Kara Dunn and UCLA Bruins guard transfer Londynn Jones emerged as reliable contributors with Watkins out of the lineup. But this offseason calls for something a bit different.

With elite recruits arriving and key players returning, USC is looking for impact over depth. Crooks represents a rare opportunity to add a proven, high-usage star who can elevate the entire roster. Instead of stacking role players, this is about making one decisive move.

Crooks carried Iowa State plenty of times throughout her three-year tenure. But at USC she wouldn't have to shoulder that same burden. With a star-studded backcourt of the last two Freshmen of the Year in Watkins and Davidson along with the other elite talent coming in, Crooks could simply be the piece that puts them over the top rather than the center of everything.

Play Keep Away from the Blue Bloods

Almost as important as landing Crooks to build up USC's roster is keeping her away from some of the other national powerhouses around the country. Programs like the South Carolina Gamecocks, Texas Longhorns and UConn Huskies are already being mentioned as potential landing spots for the star center.

South Carolina in particular would be a scary destination for Crooks to land because the Trojans have already had their troubles with the Gamecocks. Although they happened without JuJu Watkins in the lineup, the Trojans did fall to South Carolina twice this season. Both by double figures. With senior forward Madina Okot likely set to enter the 2026 WNBA Draft after this season, Crooks can slide right in as the new starting center and help the Gamecocks pick up right wherever they leave off this season.

Texas could create one of the most dominant frontcourts in the country by pairing Crooks with Wooden Award finalist Madison Booker. UConn has the championship pedigree as a draw with Geno Auriemma flaunting his 12 national championships and a history of developing top WNBA draft picks like Dallas Wings guard Paige Buekers and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart.

USC doesn't just need Crooks, they need to keep her away from everyone else. However, can the Trojans compete with the rest of the nation's top programs from one of the most highly-sought after transfers?

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