It wasn't long ago when Isaiah Elohim used to be a teammate of Bronny James back in high school. Fast forward a few years, and he looks to emerge as a star for John Jakus and the Florida Atlantic Owls.
Elohim is gearing up for the second year of his collegiate career, his first with the Owls. He previously represented the USC Trojans in the 2024-25 season, mainly appearing in some games off the bench.
Joining FAU this past offseason, Elohim looks forward to making noise this upcoming campaign while creating solid chemistry with his new teammates and coaches.
“I feel very confident in us. I think we're very versatile; I think we have a lot of depth in every position. You know, I think we can switch lineups, even like we can do a lot with our squad, but I'm most definitely confident in us,” Elohim said during an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints.
How Isaiah Elohim played at high school, USC
Isaiah Elohim came out of Sierra Canyon High School when he joined the USC Trojans for his freshman year.
It was there that he had the chance of playing alongside Bronny James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game as a senior, standing out as one of the top prospects in the 2024 class.
Elohim boasted a four-star ranking with a 93 score on 247Sports. He stood out as the ninth-best player from the state of California, the 15th-best small forward, and the 69th-best player in the entire class.
“I definitely think, like, iron sharpens iron. Competing against them just helped me sharpen my tools a little bit and just let me know what I needed to work on to be better. But it's always been fun. And there's that competitiveness that always drives you to do your best,” he said.
Elohim played sparingly throughout his freshman year with the Trojans, only being on the court for 5.8 minutes per contest. Throughout 18 appearances that included one start, he averaged 2.1 points per game on 59.1% shooting from the field. His best performance was against No. 7 Purdue on Feb. 7, scoring 11 points on 100% shooting throughout 15 minutes of action.
The Trojans went 17-18 that season, going 7-13 in their Big Ten matchups. They obtained an invitation to the first-ever College Basketball Crown tournament in April, where their time came to an end after losing to the Villanova Wildcats in the quarterfinals. Elohim didn't take part in it as he entered the portal on March 24, seeking a change of scenery.
Elohim had plenty of interest from multiple schools, per reporter Sam Keyser. This included the likes of Baylor, Missouri, Florida State, and Arizona State, among others. However, the belief that FAU head coach John Jakus and the coaching staff had in the young player convinced him to take his talents to Boca Raton.
“It really stood out when I was in the transfer portal, when I was obviously looking for a new home. They're playing for me, and everything sounded just really good. And I felt comfortable as soon as they said some of the things they said,” he said.
What Isaiah Elohim is looking forward to at FAU
It was a big decision for Isaiah Elohim to transfer to FAU. He had to move from a familiar setting in California to a new environment in Florida, emphasizing the need for him to adapt.
Luckily for the sophomore guard, it was easy for Elohim to get comfortable in Boca Raton. It represented the surroundings he prefers to play in, enjoying what the city has to offer him. Not having to worry about his surroundings, Elohim can completely focus on his game. He intends to break out as a star for the Owls this season, showing how much he's grown this summer.
“I think you guys are going to see how much I've developed as a scorer, as a creator, as a defender, just as everything. I feel like this is the most that I've developed in a really long time, and I just feel very confident in my game to help us win,” Elohim told ClutchPoints.
Jakus has an optimistic outlook on Elohim's ceiling with the Owls. He's aware of the past injuries that held the young guard back at times, but believes he can shine in the team's rotation this season.
“The better version, the healthy version of Isaiah, is what we were looking for. And these last two weeks, he has been every bit of that, and we're really thankful for his growth. He's friends with (assistant coach) Isaiah Austin and his family, so when he was looking for a restart, we were happy to do it,” Jakus said during the team's media day on Oct. 8.
“The same thing that (former FAU forward) Kaleb [Glenn] did last year, with leaving Louisville after having been a former top-ranked player. We believe Isaiah will do the same thing. Sometimes you make the wrong choice as a freshman, but then you make the right one, and you find a home. He's going to be an elite scorer and a really good player.”
FAU will begin its season at home. They host their second-ever Power Five matchup, taking on the Boston College Eagles on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. ET. After that, they will take part in the annual Field of 68 events, facing Charleston on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. ET and Liberty on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. ET.
