Throughout the offseason, the USC Trojans appear to have done a solid job adding talent through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, which could help USC to take a major step forward in 2026.
With the additions that the Trojans have made, it seems that USC may be in a great spot in the Big Ten following a strong statement from a college basketball analyst.
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) reacts against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
USC’s Top Big Ten Talent
“On paper, USC might be the most talented team in the Big Ten. We’ll see if they can put it all together,” said college basketball analyst Andy Katz.
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As Katz talked about, the Trojans have added lots of talent across the board in the backcourt and in the frontcourt. Based on those additions, this could be one of the best offseasons thus far for coach Eric Musselman.
With all the talent that USC has, one of the biggest keys to the season may very well be how the backcourt combination of guards Alijah Arenas, Rodney Rice, and KJ Lewis can work together. Arenas and Rice both returned to the Trojans after the 2025 season, and Lewis transferred over to USC from Georgetown.
In terms of scoring, this backcourt combination could become one of the more dangerous in the country. During the 2025 season, Rice led the Trojans in scoring as he averaged 20.3 points per game, Arenas was also solid as he averaged 14.1 points per game, and Lewis could also add a level of scoring as he averaged 14.9 points per game, which led Georgetown.
In addition to Arenas and Rice returning, USC also brought back forward Jacob Cofie, who initially declared for the NBA Draft but ultimately decided to return to play for the Trojans in the 2026 season.
Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Connecticut Huskies center Eric Reibe (12) works around St. John’s Red Storm forward Rubn Prey (17) during the first half of the men’s Big East Conference Tournament Championship at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
To add talent to the roster, USC was able to use the transfer portal to find players who could contribute in the frontcourt and the backcourt as the Trojans added former South Dakota guard Isaac Bruns, former Colgate guard Jalen Cox, former Lindenwood guard Jadis Jones, former Hawaii guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, former Evansville forward Josuhua Hughes, and former UConn center Eric Reibe.
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With the talent that USC added through the transfer portal, it seems that the Trojans should be a much deeper team next season. In a conference like the Big Ten, being able to have great depth with a variety of players who have proven to be successful at their previous schools is something that could be very beneficial for USC as the Trojans look to become a much more prominent force in the conference.
USC was also very active in high school recruiting as they added a few of the top recruits in the country, including forward Christian Collins, center Adonis Ratliff, and center Darius Ratliff. This recruiting class specifically should give the Trojans great depth in 2026 and could produce players who become valuable contributors for the future of the USC men’s basketball program.
Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts during the second half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Keys For USC Trojans’ Big Ten Success
For the Trojans to have success in the Big Ten, Musselman must figure out a way to ensure that this new look roster can work well together and form a team that has great chemistry and could push opposing teams like the Michigan Wolverines to compete at the top of the conference.
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Even though the Trojans did make several changes to the roster, USC still has a great opportunity to find success, especially after what Michigan was able to accomplish last season. In 2025, the Wolverines were one of the most dominant teams in the country, but had very little continuity from the previous season as the entire starting lineup was made up of transfers.
USC Trojans head coach Eric Musselman watches during the first half of the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Schottenstein Center on Feb. 11, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
However, the Trojans were able to have some level of continuity with the return of players like Arenas, Rice, and Cofie, who could help to implement the culture that Musselman wants for the USC program.
In the current age of college basketball, it is very rare for teams to have any continuity, let alone a team like the Trojans being able to retain players with the talent of Arenas, Rice, and Cofie. With that in mind, USC should be in a great spot to communicate what each player’s role is, which could help the Trojans to have a team with great chemistry that could become much more competitive in the Big Ten and potentially qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
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Heading into the season, USC’s ability to retain continuity as well as add a solid amount of talent through the transfer portal and high school recruiting should help the Trojans to have a much better showing in 2026 and potentially build one of the more consistent programs in the Big Ten.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as One Analyst’s Comments on USC Has College Basketball Buzzing.
