USC men’s basketball was well represented on NBA courts when the 2026-27 season tipped off Tuesday night. Eight former Trojans made opening day rosters, ranking 15th among NCAA Division I programs and fourth among Big Ten schools, according to Spotrac.
Leading that group is six-time NBA All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan, who began his 18th season and first with the Denver Nuggets. One of USC’s most accomplished alumni, the Compton native entered the season ranked fourth among active players with 26,711 career points. DeRozan is a three-time All-NBA team selection and received a gold medal with Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup.
His former USC teammate and roommate, center Nikola Vučević, is entering his 17th season and returns to the Orlando Magic, where he spent nine seasons and earned two All-Star selections. Vučević rejoined Orlando after playing for the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics last season.
While DeRozan and Vučević represent USC’s veteran class, center Evan Mobley and forward Onyeka Okongwu have developed into both of their team’s most established frontcourt products.
Okongwu enters his seventh season with the Atlanta Hawks after averaging a career-best 15.2 points and starting 63 of 74 games last season. The No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft built his reputation on the defensive end at USC, where he remains the program’s all-time freshman leader in blocks, with 76.
Mobley, USC’s most recent top-three draft pick, begins his sixth season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2021 No. 3 overall selection averaged 18.2 points, nine rebounds and a career-best 1.7 blocks last season, further establishing himself as one of the NBA’s most versatile big men. Before reaching the next level , Mobley was the first No. 1-ranked men’s basketball recruit to sign with USC.
For the San Antonio Spurs, point guard Jordan McLaughlin is entering his second full season with the team, and third overall. McLaughlin played in 44 games as a backup point guard for last season’s Western Conference champions.
Guard De’Anthony Melton begins his ninth NBA season after re-signing with the Golden State Warriors. Nicknamed “Mr. Do Something” for his defensive activity and ability to impact nearly every play, Melton averaged a career-best 12.3 points in 23 minutes per game last season.
After a productive sophomore season, guard Isaiah Collier returns for his third season with the Utah Jazz. The No. 29 pick in the 2024 draft averaged 11.7 points and 7.2 assists in 25.7 minutes per game as Utah’s backup point guard.
Selected in the same draft class and Collier’s former teammate, guard Bronny James is back with the Los Angeles Lakers for his third NBA season after splitting time between the NBA and G League during his first two years. In his time with the South Bay Lakers, he averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 rebounds across 13 games.
Together, the eight players give USC an NBA presence that spans generations. Three have earned All-Star selections, while five have spent at least five seasons in the league.
The lineage is established; the question for USC is who will be next.
None of the aforementioned former Trojans played for Eric Musselman at USC. DeRozan and Vučević represent earlier eras of the program, while Mobley, Okongwu, Collier, James, McLaughlin and Melton played under former head coach Andy Enfield.
Musselman has yet to produce his first NBA draft pick at USC, a distinction that matters for a coach who has made professional development central to his résumé.
During five seasons at Arkansas, Musselman coached six NBA draft picks, including first-round selections Moses Moody at No.14, Nick Smith Jr. Black at No. 27 and Anthony Black who went sixth overall in 2023, when the Razorbacks had three players selected.
Now entering his third season at USC, Musselman may have his strongest opportunity to extend that track record.
Sophomore guard Alijah Arenas enters the season as USC’s most prominent NBA prospect. Arenas averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 14 games last season after a knee injury delayed his college debut. The 6-foot-7 guard elected to return instead of entering the 2026 draft, giving him a full season to expand his game and strengthen his stock for 2027.
Although early projections aren’t set in stone, Arenas’ combination of scoring and shot selection makes him USC’s clearest candidate to become the first Trojan drafted under Musselman.
Senior guard Rodney Rice could also work his way back onto draft boards. Rice returned to USC after considering the NBA draft and averaged 20.3 points and six assists through six games before a shoulder injury ended his season. Staying healthy will be central to reestablishing himself as a professional prospect.
Junior forward Jacob Cofie also projects as a top NBA prospect after averaging 9.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season and becoming USC’s only invitee to the 2026 NBA Draft Combine.
NBA teams have already begun evaluating that talent. In response to requests from NBA organizations, USC held its first pro day under Musselman, where representatives from more than half of the NBA’s 30 teams watched players run through drills and other skill tests.
By the time attention shifts toward the 2027 draft, USC could have more than one player in the conversation. Turning that potential into draft selections will depend on health, individual development and how far the Trojans advance in March.
For now, eight former Trojans are beginning another NBA season. At USC, the next wave is already taking shape.
Edited by Adriana Brady and Bennett M. Weinschenk