USC Basketball Adds Five-Star Twins, but Three Freshmen Start Injured
The Trojans welcome 14 new players, including the Ratliff brothers, while coach Eric Musselman navigates a roster that lost three key contributors.
By Mei Lin ·
USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman faces a roster that has lost three major contributors and gained 14 new players, three of whom are currently injured. The Trojans are entering the 2026-27 season with a mix of experienced returners and high-profile recruits, but the team is not yet at full strength. Musselman noted that while integrating new players is a constant challenge, the current injuries are the more immediate hurdle. The coach stated that the team is inching closer to being whole.
The departures include forward Ezra Ausar, who signed a contract with the Miami Heat on Oct. 15. Ausar averaged 14.8 points and 6.5 rebounds last season. Guard Chad Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the team on March 1 and is now suing USC and Musselman, alleging the move was intended to avoid paying the remainder of his NIL contract. Jerry Easter II transferred to Oregon after averaging 4.4 points, while Jordan Marsh moved to Temple after shooting 39.6% from three-point range. Kam Woods, a midseason transfer who averaged 8.8 points, also left the program.
Three key players returned to the squad. Guard Alijah Arenas, who averaged 14.1 points last season, is expected for a breakout sophomore year. Forward Jacob Cofie withdrew from the NBA draft to return, posting 1.75 blocks per game in the previous campaign. Guard Rodney Rice, who averaged 20.3 points in the six games he played last season due to a shoulder injury, was named to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List. Musselman described Arenas’ evolution as positive and expressed enjoyment in coaching the group of willing learners.
The incoming class features twins Adonis and Darius Ratliff, both McDonald’s All-Americans from Archbishop Stepinac High School. Adonis, a 6-foot-11 forward, averaged 12.3 points and 8.7 rebounds as a senior. His brother Darius, a 7-foot center, posted nearly a double-double with 9.5 points and 9.1 rebounds. The team also added Christian Collins, a five-star recruit from St. John Bosco who averaged 17.6 points in high school. Collins is dealing with a foot injury and will start his college career with a delay.
Other notable additions include Isaac Bruns, a transfer from South Dakota who led the NCAA in free throws made before a season-ending foot injury. Joshua Hughes, a 6-foot-10 forward from Evansville, starts all 32 games last season and averaged 9.3 points. Eric Reibe, a 7-foot-1 center from UConn, shot 65.8% from the field last season and is currently out with a foot injury but is expected to return in January. Jalen Cox, a senior transfer from Colgate, was named to the All-Patriot League First Team and All-Defensive Team.
Musselman, in his third year as head coach, emphasized the energy these players bring. The roster includes guards Jadis Jones, KJ Lewis, and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, as well as international center Onyeka Joe Agu. Lewis was the leading scorer at Georgetown last season, averaging 14.9 points per game. Hunkin-Claytor ranks second in Big West play in assist-to-turnover ratio. The team will continue its preseason preparations while managing the health of its injured players.
