2024 NBA Draft: Midseason USC Prospect Outlooks
While the USC men's basketball squad was heavily hyped preseason and has a ton of star-power on its roster, the results haven’t been there on the court.
You could say the same thing about UCLA’s squad, too. You could say it about a lot of the barely-standing Pac-12.
One of LA’s two premier college basketball teams boasts one of the Pac-12’s worst records: the Trojans are 6-11 overall with a 2-4 conference mark.
And while this team has struggled mightily down the stretch, it doesn’t mean that Andy Enfield's squad lacks ability.
Sometimes, talent doesn’t mesh well together, which seems to be the case with this Los Angeles-based team.
Here is a look at some of USC's top prospects.
Isaiah Collier, Guard (Fr.)
Isaiah Collier, Southern Cal.
© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
Isaiah Collier is the best prospect on the team, bar none. As much buzz as some of his teammates are getting (or maybe more accurately, were getting), he will be the first player on the Trojans drafted this year.
A high-level athlete who is built like a running back, Isaiah Collier is a menace in the open court, putting lots of pressure on the rim as a driving threat. He’s also capable of some really high-level passes. Sometimes, they’re extraordinary, and he displays really impressive abilities to read the defense.
While Collier was generally considered the best guard coming out of high school his senior year, he’s struggled in a couple of crucial areas down the stretch of his first and only season that will affect his draft stock undoubtedly.
The first of these issues is his struggle to shoot the ball from the three–point line. On the season, he’s hitting 30.6% from beyond the arc. He's also turning the ball over quite a bit, operating with a 4.1-to-3.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Obviously, those are things that need fixing for Collier to meet his full potential.
This class is lacking in elite creators overall, so Collier will still be taken high.
The question is: how will teams will be able overlook the turnovers and deep shooting percentages, and give him a chance to lead a franchise?
Lebron “Bronny” James Jr., Guard (Fr.)
LeBron "Bronny" James, Jr., Southern Cal.
© Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Bronny James hasn’t been a dominant force his freshman season in the scarlet and gold, but the potential is certainly there. His shooting has been really rough, and in his last three games, he’s played a total of 49 minutes while scoring just two points over that period.
Obviously, James is not the same prospect as his father, but I think it’s time to start evaluating him on his own. What I see with James is a defensive-minded guard that can distribute. Think Alex Caruso – that’s the kind of role I see for him.
Regardless of what anyone thinks, if James declares, he will certainly be drafted – if not for his current ability, for his potential going forward.
James has NBA potential, no doubt in my mind, and GMs think the same thing. There is also the rumor that LeBron James Sr. will jump to whichever team on which Bronny lands after the Draft.
Kobe Johnson, Guard/Wing (Jr.)
Kobe Johnson, Southern Cal.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK
Kobe Johnson is an interesting player because of his defensive upside, being named to the all-Pac-12 Defensive Team in 2021-22 and preseason all-Pac-12 in 2023-24.
Johnson is a great athlete, and while his offense leaves something to be desired, he'll never be relied upon as a shot creator, for himself or others.
The key to Johnson's NBA future is his potential ability to hit open threes. Unfortunately, so far this year, he's 5-for-22 from deep, or 22.7%, which has him in the 11th percentile in this category according to Synergy Sports.
That's simply not going to cut it at the NBA level, no matter what kind of defender you are. It's tough to find time on the floor for a player that hits roughly one out of every five threes he takes.
Overall, I like Johnson decently, but find it hard to believe he'd be drafted in many drafts other than this years. But this year, he has a better-than-average shot at being selected in this crop.
Quick Hit:
Boogie Ellis – Despite the scoring prowess, I just don't see Ellis as an NBA-caliber player yet. He's 23 years old already, and his only real skillset that translates heavily to the next level is his scoring. As a 6-foot-3 guard, he has to offer more than simply scoring. It's tough to make it in the Association as a microwave-scoring, undersized guard. If there was a draft in which he could be taken, it would be this one. But I see him more as a G League prospect than an impactful NBA player.
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