NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
It is no secret that college basketball is changing. Between the transfer portal, NIL and the NCAA’s evolving eligibility rules, building a championship-caliber roster has become more challenging than ever. The modern landscape of college athletics has forced coaches to constantly adapt as roster construction becomes more unpredictable each year.
On Monday, USC coach Eric Musselman shared the blueprint he believes programs must follow to build sustained success.
Advertisement
Musselman believes building a winning roster in today’s college basketball landscape is about identifying the right returning players, supplementing them with high-upside freshmen and using the transfer portal to address remaining needs.
Feb 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman (right) talks with guard Desmond Claude (1) and guard Wesley Yates III (6) against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The idea isn’t anything new. For decades, successful college basketball programs were built around veteran players who stayed in the program, developed over multiple seasons and grew within the same system. What has changed is how difficult that model has become to maintain in an era where players can transfer freely and rosters can turn over every offseason.
“I think, regardless of sport, regardless of university, regardless of college, everybody understands retention is important,” said Musselman. “You retain the right guys and incoming freshmen that are either super talented or that you can build through, and then the portal. I think all three of those are just going to be factors.”
Retaining the right pieces
At first glance, USC’s roster somewhat appears to contradict Musselman’s claims about retention. The Trojans return just three scholarship players from last season alongside three incoming freshmen and seven transfers.
Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eric-musselman-explains-usc-basketballs-130522527.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-07-01 13:05:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
