Five USC Men’s Basketball Breakout Candidates

The USC Trojans will enter the 2026-27 college basketball season with hopes of snapping their three-year drought of missing the NCAA Tournament. Here are five potential breakout players for coach Eric Musselman’s team this season.

Alijah Arenas, Guard

Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) drives to the basket past UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Alijah Arenas will be entering his second collegiate season in 2026-27. Arenas headlined USC’s 2025 high school recruiting class and was a five-star recruit. Due to an injury suffered in the offseason, Arenas was only able to suit up in the Trojans’ final 14 games of the season.

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In his 14 games played, Arenas averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. With on-court experience at the power conference level and a full offseason of preparation while being healthy, Arenas is a perfect candidate to take a big jump forward next season.

Rodney Rice, Guard

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Rodney Rice (1) dribbles the ball during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Rodney Rice could very have well been on his way to having a breakout season in 2025-26 with the Trojans. In his first six games, Rice averaged a team high 20.3 points per game to go along with 6.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due a shoulder injury. He did not play in a game after USC won the 2025 Maui Invitational in November.

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If Rice is able to make a full recovery and pick up where he left off last season, he may just lead the team in scoring again.

Christian Collins, Forward

Christian Collins…

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Publish date : 2026-05-17 01:00:00

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