Isaiah Collier came into his college basketball career with the USC basketball team as the number one player in the 2023 class. Collier was part of a star-studded recruiting class for the Trojans that included Bronny James, but the season didn't go the way the team was expecting. USC didn't make the tournament, Collier missed part of the season due to an injury, it just wasn't a good year. Still, Collier showed how good of a player he is, and he is now entering the 2024 NBA Draft.
“USC Trojans freshman point guard Isaiah Collier will enter the 2024 NBA Draft, he told ESPN on Wednesday,” Adrian Wojnarowski said in a tweet. “Collier — ranked as the tenth best available player in ESPN’s list of Top 100 prospects — will be represented by agent BJ Armstrong of Wasserman.”
Isaiah Collier went down with a hand injury this past USC basketball season and had to miss about a month of the regular season. The difference in play for the Trojans when Collier was out showed how good he was and how vital he was to the team. USC was not winning games when he was out, but after returning from injury, the team played its best basketball of the season. The Trojans were too far gone at that point and still missed the NCAA Tournament, but Collier had a great season.
As a true freshman, Collier averaged 16.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.3 APG and he shot just under 50% from the floor. It was a great season for him, and it was even more impressive considering it was his first season playing college basketball for USC.
That high level of play could end up making Collier a lottery pick. He is considered to be a top-1o player in the NBA Draft, and he isn't going to be on the board for very long.
USC basketball is losing their best player
This isn't surprising news as Isaiah Collier was outstanding for USC this season, but it's worth discussing how the Trojans are in an entirely different situation than they were in last offseason. The team had Andy Enfield as their head coach who had been there for awhile and had been successful there. They were bringing in a loaded recruiting class with Collier and fellow five-star Bronny James. Things were looking good for the Trojans.
USC entered the season ranked in the top-25 and they looked solid in their opening game against a Kansas State team that went to the Elite 8 the year prior. Everything went downhill after that, and it led to a very disappointing season for USC.
Now, the program is in a much different place. Andy Enfield is no longer the head coach of the USC basketball team as he now at SMU. Collier is entering the NBA Draft and Bronny James is testing the NBA Draft waters and transferring if he does return to college basketball. Things are much different now for the Trojans.
Eric Musselman is now the head coach for USC, and he will have his work cut out for him in year one.
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