Names for USC to watch in the college basketball transfer portal

There are over 1,000 players in the college basketball transfer portal, including some genuine college basketball superstars from smaller conferences who very likely want to transfer to a blue-blood program and get a chance to reach the Final Four before they move to the NBA. We’re not going to tell you that USC has a good chance of landing that type of transfer. No, that’s where Kansas and North Carolina and Kentucky will always have the inside track. The top schools get the top players. USC is not in that conversation.

However, the fact that elite players are available in the portal is still good for USC. Why? If Kansas gets this superstar player and North Carolina gets that elite transfer over there, that fills a roster spot for both schools. That’s a roster spot unavailable for a role-player transfer who might have a more limited skill set but who can meet a specific need.

While the blue bloods chase the star transfers, USC has better odds of getting the specific pieces it needs to round out its roster and make a real run at the Pac-12 championship and the second weekend (Sweet 16 or Elite Eight) of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

USC has multiple open roster slots after a number of Trojans entered the portal. Andy Enfield needs to pounce on this opportunity. Here are some names to watch. Some of them are the superstars USC won’t likely get, but others are the role players the Trojans can — and must — add to their roster:

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Baylor Bears guard LJ Cryer (4) reacts in the first half against the Creighton Bluejays at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

Baylor guard LJ Cryer averaged 15 PPG this past season and should be one of the bigger names in the portal after Baylor lost to Creighton in the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 25, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward Ismael Massoud (25) drives to the basket against Florida Atlantic Owls guard Brandon Weatherspoon (23) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Ismael Massoud averaged only 5.1 PPG for Kansas State, but he exploded in the Michigan State victory in the Sweet 16 with 15 points and four 3-pointers. Another program might be able to give him more minutes — a program such as USC.

Mar 16, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; Oral Roberts Golden Eagles guard Max Abmas (3) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Duke Blue…