USC players in the NBA: A look at how former Trojans are faring in the league this season

From DeMar DeRozan to Nikola Vucevic, here's a closer look at how former USC players are performing

The USC basketball program is well-represented in the NBA, with 10 former Trojans playing in the league this season. Every two weeks, All Trojans will take stock of how the USC alums are faring. 

Here is a recap of each player’s performance since the All-Star break. Players are listed in alphabetical order. 

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DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls

DeRozan, who had been battling injury before the All-Star break, has seemingly benefited from the time off. In the eight games since, he has averaged 22.3 points and 5.1 assists. The Bulls have gone 5-3 in that span.

Dewayne Dedmon, Philadelphia 76ers

Dedmon made his 76ers debut Sunday. Playing almost five minutes late in the team’s blowout of the Washington Wizards, Dedmon scored four points and logged one rebound and one assist. The appearance marked just the second game Dedmon has played since Jan. 10.

Taj Gibson, Washington Wizards

Gibson has appeared in six of the past 10 games for the struggling Wizards, playing double-digit minutes in three of those. He’s averaged 1.7 points and 2.3 rebounds during those contests. The highlight was a five-point, five-rebound effort in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 28.

Jordan McLaughlin, Minnesota Timberwolves

McLaughlin, who missed 30 games this season with a calf injury, has settled into a fairly consistent role since the All-Star break, playing about 15 minutes per game. In those seven contests, he’s averaged 3.9 points and 2.1 assists. The defensive stopper is also averaging nearly one steal per game.

De’Anthony Melton, Philadelphia 76ers

Melton has lost the starting spot he occupied for much of the season, coming off the bench for four of the 76ers’ past six games. That hasn’t really impacted his playing time, as he’s logged more than 20 minutes in each of those contests. In the 10 games since the break, Melton is averaging 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest. He’s scored in double figures in each of the past three, all wins for the 76ers. The team now sits third in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the Milwaukee Bucks.

Chimezie Metu, Sacramento Kings

Metu has continued to play a steady role as a reserve big man for the red-hot Kings, who have won eight of nine since the All-Star break. During that stretch, Metu has averaged 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds. He came up big in a one-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 24, logging eight points and nine rebounds in a season-high 21 minutes of action, helping the Kings win by a point. Sacramento is up to second place in the Western Conference standings.

Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

Mobley has continued his impressive sophomore season. In his first game back from the All-Star break, he erupted for 31 points and nine rebounds. He’s scored at least 12 points in every game since, averaging 17.8 per game since the break. He has also logged three double-doubles during that span, including a 25-point, 17-rebound performance in a win over the Boston Celtics on March 6.

Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks

Okongwu remains a steady presence for the Hawks, averaging 8.7 points and 6.0 rebounds since the All-Star break. His best performance came in the first game back, when he put up 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win over the Bulls. The third-year pro is averaging career-high marks in points (9.2) and rebounds (7.1).

Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets

Porter made his return to the lineup March 1 after missing nearly two months with a foot injury. His offensive output hasn’t quite returned to his pre-injury form, however. Porter has averaged 12.8 points in the five games he’s played, well shy of his season average of 18.5. He has made up for it, though, by pulling down 6.2 rebounds and dishing 5.4 assists per contest. Porter should continue to improve on those numbers as he gets re-acclimated to game action — assuming the last-place Rockets don’t choose to shut him down.

Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls

In a legitimately surprising development, Vucevic has logged double-doubles in only four of the Bulls’ past eight games, although he’s still averaging 16.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game during that stretch. He’s looked more like himself during the past two contests, logging 25 points and 15 rebounds in a win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday and then following it with 18 and 12 on Saturday. The Bulls won both games.