The USC men’s basketball team wrapped up its summer session at Galen Center on Thursday. Head coach Eric Musselman spoke about integrating NBA style playbooks, managing roster changes, injuries and the excitement of gearing up for the Trojans’ inaugural season in the Big Ten.
USC officially joined its new conference August 2.
The team worked out Thursday morning, trying to manage an injury-plagued roster. After practice, Musselman reported that graduate guard Clark Slajchert (ankle), sophomore guard Kevin Patton Jr. (hip), graduate forward Matt Knowling (sports hernia), sophomore guard Wesley Yates III (foot) and freshman forward Jalen Shelley (ankle) are all currently unable to practice. In addition, Rashaun Agee (ankle) and Desmond Claude (elbow) are now both able to practice but missed time earlier in the summer due to injury recovery.
Musselman described Thursday’s practice as a six out of 10 in terms of energy and intensity during the post-practice press conference.
“The core eight guys are exhausted because of all the reps,” Musselman said. “But I think that come October, it’ll be even higher intensity, more body movement, more player movement and more vocalization. It’s hard when you only got nine guys, someone’s going twice every time.”
Musselman is no stranger to operating with an NBA-style playbook. Since 2019, he has had at least one player selected in each NBA Draft, the third-best active streak among NCAA coaches.
“Availability is key. The more you talk to NBA executives and coaches, one thing that has come up in recent drafts that they emphasize is about being available,” Musselman said. “Pro sports is changing everything day by day, and players being available is something that every franchise wants.”
With the new-look Trojans acquiring 11 players through the transfer portal from multiple programs, Musselman wants to carve the word versatility into the team culture. On this note, he had high praise for graduate guard Saint Thomas, a transfer from Northern Colorado, who has proven to be a versatile asset on the team.
“[Versatility] is what the roster was recruited for. We knew that [Thomas] was a high-assist guy,” Musselman said. “I found out that he can play pick-and-roll very well, and I think we have a lot of guys that can play three positions.”
Thomas, who started his collegiate career at Loyola Chicago, wants to help establish a strong foundation and culture for the Trojans and he also plans to look out for all his new teammates.
“I don’t think there’s jealousy or selfishness in that locker room, and like my teammates, I want the best for the guy sitting next to me as well as success for myself,” Thomas said. “So I think that’s how everyone’s mindset is, and I think everybody just wants to get to the Dance, I think that’s our goal.”
Musselman assumed his position as the head coach in April and immediately went to work on the recruitment side, bringing in key players under his wings. Graduate forward Josh Cohen is a transfer from UMass who initially committed to Musselman at Arkansas before flipping to USC following Musselman’s departure from the Razorbacks.
“I was the first guy to commit to him, but we had [senior forward Harrison Hornery] too on the team, so it was pretty fun to watch everybody commit,” Cohen said. “There are a lot more opportunities here in L.A., and being here for the summer, playing against NBA guys during pick up, I realized it has been a really cool experience and environment. It’s nothing like I’ve ever been a part of.”
Graduate guard Chibuzo Agbo, who had prior stops at Boise State and Texas Tech, also spoke about what he saw in Musselman and why he wanted to play for him.
“I came from a winning program. Things I noticed from winning coaches to winning places, is that they set the standard for you every day,” Agbo said. “Coach [Musselman] knows that we’re not going to be upset as soon as practice starts. He’s not going to let that happen.”
Hornery, a rising senior guard and the lone scholarship player from last year’s USC team to remain after Andy Enfield departed for SMU, spoke about why he decided to stay at USC, despite seeing all of his teammates, except for graduate walk-on guard JD Plough, depart the program.
“Obviously, when Andy left and right before I went home to Australia, the start of summer gave me time to reflect with my family and to just talk about it. Leaving was never a question,” Hornery said. “I met with Coach Muss right before I left, and it gave me a positive feeling to keep going. It’s been a good change, they’re both different coaches but that’s how it is.”
Hornery’s decision to stay has come to help benefit all of his new teammates both on and off the court, as graduate forward Terrance Williams, a graduate transfer from Michigan, recalled about Hornery.
“Harry definitely helped a lot. When I first committed, we were texting in the group chat about where should we live, and things of that nature,” Williams said. “And Harry looked out for me and looked out for us on the little things like that.”
Claude, a junior guard who transferred from Xavier, echoed Williams’ statement, especially since he went through a similar situation the previous year when he was still with the Musketeers.
“I would say Harry was definitely a big part of everybody getting comfortable,” Claude said. “I was in a situation last year where I was the only returner and we had 14 new guys, so I know the pressure that it has on him to be a leader and more vocal. Even him having to do a lot of extra things just for us, so you know he’s taking on that challenge. We all appreciate his help. You know he’s funny too, this one.”
The team has bonded well, or at least it looks like. The Trojans have been active on social media this summer, showing team-building activities like dodgeball. With all of USC’s teams officially incorporated into the Big Ten Conference on Friday and summer practices complete, the men’s basketball squad will look to prime themselves under Musselman as it continues to get closer to the start of its first season in the new conference, when the Trojans’ first game tips off in early November.