USC head coach Eric Mussleman is trying to get high-level transfer portal prospects to fill out his roster for the 2025 college basketball season. A new name on the list: Desmond Claude of Xavier. Claude averaged 16.6 points per game last season, playing in the cutthroat Big East, the same league as national champion UConn. Claude would be a big-time get for Musselman and USC, but the coach knows he has to look elsewhere as well.
Musselman has also been in contact with Manhattan small forward and guard Seydou Traore.
Traore just wrapped up his freshman season and averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Traore was the third-best freshman rebounder in the country. He has three more years of eligibility remaining.
Traore shot 43% from the field in his freshman campaign. Traore earned MAAC All-Freshman and All-Defense honors.
He has also received interest from at least 16 other schools in addition to USC, with some of those schools including Florida State, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Marquette, Clemson and Oregon.
Manhattan transfer guard Seydou Traore has heard from the following schools since entering the portal, his agent @DanielPoneman tells @On3sports:
USC
Georgetown
Temple
Tulsa
Florida State
Clemson
North Texas
Vanderbilt
Saint Louis
Richmond
Minnesota
Oregon
San Diego State… pic.twitter.com/uQRYFz84qZ— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 22, 2024
NEWS: Xavier transfer Desmond Claude visited USC this past weekend, a source tells me.
Averaged 16.6 points and 3.2 assists as a sophomore. Was named the Most Improved Player in the Big East. pic.twitter.com/VDNVoq8OQm
— CBB Content (@CBBcontent) April 30, 2024
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