USC basketball 2024 top commits: Looking at Eric Musselman's loaded roster feat. Desmond Claude

Eric Musselman had to quickly settle in as the coach of the USC Trojans after leaving the Arkansas Razorbacks. Top on his in-tray was making sure that his roster for next season was talented enough to challenge for top honors after the departure of some key players.

The Trojans lost Trent Perry, the highest-ranked uncommitted prospect in the 2024 class. He committed to their arch-rivals, the UCLA Bruins, as coach Andy Enfield left to join the SMU Mustangs.

Musselman brought in eleven players, including nine transfers, to considerably improve the roster he inherited from Enfield, headlined by Xavier transfer Desmond Claude.

Eric Musselman undertakes rebuilding job

Eric Musselman has a huge rebuilding job on his hands after the Trojans lost a chunk of the hyped class of 2023, including Isaiah Collier, Bronny James, Kobie Johnson, Boogie Ellis and Oziyah Sellers.

The recruits acquired by coach Eric Musselman alongside Desmond Claude include Clark Slajchert (UPenn), Terrance Williams II (Michigan), Matt Knowling (Yale), Rashaun Agee (Bowling Green), Bryce Pope (UC San Diego), Chibuzo Agbo (Boise State), Josh Cohen (Amherst) and Saint Thomas (Northern Colorado).

Claude was the Big East's Most Improved Player and was a major coup by Eric Musselman due to the demand he generated in the transfer portal. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season.

Claude spoke about his decision to join USC in an in-house interview and name-checked the new coach as a key factor.

"It honestly felt like a perfect fit from the first call," Claude said (h/t ESPN). "The academic support, basketball resources and basketball vision all seemed custom-made for me. Also, Coach Musselman has a proven track record over the past several years of helping big lead guards make the jump to being NBA-ready guards.

"The vision that Coach Musselman laid out for me blends perfectly with my playmaking ability, NBA aspirations and ongoing development as a lead guard," he added. "I'm excited to make the next big jump in my development and I'm especially excited to be a part of the USC family."

The Trojans had an underwhelming season finishing with a 15-18 record and not making the 2024 NCAA tournament for the first time in four years a fact that the new coach will be conscious of.

With a reputation for developing prospects for the professional leagues, Eric Musselman will likely improve USC's recruitment stock as he undertakes the rebuild, seeking to return the men's team to par with the women's team.