USC basketball recruiting 2019: Andy Enfield’s class leads to unprecedented expectations

USC basketball is looking to rebound from a season of unmet expectations with the help of a large and decorated recruiting class.

This upcoming 2019-2020 college basketball season is a pivotal one for USC men’s basketball. USC has not met the lofty expectations that were placed on them either of the previous two seasons, which resulted in no NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT appearance that only went to the second round.

Fortunately, the Trojans are bringing in a huge signing class that is also highly decorated. Head Coach Andy Enfield is bringing in a whopping six-man recruiting class spanning every position on the court. All of these incoming freshmen possess an absurd amount of sheer athleticism with high ceilings if their game can develop properly in Los Angeles.

USC is losing a lot of their productivity from last year with the departures of Bennie Boatwright, Shaqquan Aaron, Derryck Thornton, and Kevin Porter Jr., so a rather large burden will be placed upon the freshman to contribute immediately.

However, Nick Rakocevic, Jonah Matthews, and Elijah Weaver are all returning which will provide the Trojans with three experienced starters. Depth will be a rather large question mark and the heralded freshman will be leaned on heavily for support off the bench.

USC’s incoming class is ranked No. 6 in the nation according to 247Sports. Not mentioned are graduate transfers Quinten Adlesh from Columbia University and Daniel Utomi from Akron. Another incoming transfer not mentioned is Noah Bauman from San Jose State, who will sit out the upcoming season before having two years of remaining eligibility.

Each transfer possesses strong perimeter shooting that will help spread the floor for the Trojan slashers and bigs. Below you will find a brief scouting report on the incoming recruit and what this means for USC. The numbers in parenthesis next to a player’s name are indicative of their rank according to 247Sports.

USC basketball recruiting class signees

• Isaiah Mobley (19) – Extremely skilled forward with a great frame (6’9″/220). Very strong face-up game and has a legitimate three-point shooting range. His post game is already solid yet reports have mentioned continued improvement. Good ball-handler and is unafraid to attack mismatches. High IQ player. Defensively strong and uses his IQ to his advantage as well. One-and-done potential.
• Onyeka Okongwu (24) – Elite defender, arguably one of the best in the entire 2019 class. Plus wingspan compensates for height (6’8″) to be a plus rim defender and shot-blocker. Moves extremely well and will be able to guard multiple positions at the college level. A simple yet expanding offensive game whose long-term ceiling and potential will be tied to.
• Max Agbonkpolo (55) – Raw and versatile wing/forward with tremendous potential. Great size (6’8″) with a plus wingspan. Will be able to attack and guard other 3/4’s at the next level if proper development occurs. Not extremely consistent so will need to really focus as well as commit to strength training in college, but the potential for becoming an elite player is there.
• Kyle Sturdivant (139) – Scoring guard who will likely be a multi-year player. Very strong perimeter shooter and has a strong “attack” mentality. Loves the open-floor and will excel in transition. Manipulates his dribble well. Defensive potential is definitely present. Definitely needs to improve his body (190 pounds) like most freshman guards.
• Drake London (178) – Two-sport athlete who is playing wide receiver for the Trojan football team as well. Arrives with tremendous size (6’4″/200) and body control. Experts have him as more of an impactful football player so will need to monitor how long he attempts to be a dual-sport athlete.
• Ethan Anderson (318) – Will be a leader with his defensive aggression and capabilities. A hard-nosed player that will likely have the assignment of defending best ball-handlers of each opponent. Likely four-year player who is physically ready for college game but the ability to impact at the college level will be tied to his offensive development.

What the incoming class means for USC in 2019-2020

USC is as talented as any team in the Pac-12 on paper heading into next season. However, it is difficult to proclaim the Trojans as potential Pac-12 favorites due to their history of not meeting pre-season expectations. The Trojans have been prone to streaks of not playing team basketball and that absolutely must change for the Trojans to get back on track to their internal expectations.

Fortunately for USC fans, this heralded six-man recruiting class provides a much-needed jolt of competitiveness, talent, and athleticism that can help the Trojans finally meet their regular-season goals.