The USC Trojans are a national story in college basketball because of the visibility they have gained due to the arrival of Bronny James. They are a Pac-12 championship contender because of the quality of Isaiah Collier.
Bronny will fill the seats this coming season, but Collier will be the straw that stirs the drink, the engine which will give USC the horsepower of a program which can get a very high seed at the NCAA Tournament.
Collier comes to USC as the No. 1 recruit in the country for his recruiting class. As a point guard, he brings elite floor vision and court sense to the Trojans. He is lethal off the dribble and will be a passing and attacking force. His jump shot still needs work, but he is so devastating as a drive-and-kick initiator and a rim attacker that he will still force defenses to collapse in the paint, opening up 3-point shots for Bronny, Oziyah Sellers, D.J. Rodman, and Kobe Johnson, who will all be asked to hit catch-and-shoot triples over the course of the season.
Where did Collier get such great court vision? In a recent video produced by USC athletics, the point guard noted that he played safety on the football field, a position which required the ability to survey a vast expanse of territory and make a quick read based on what he saw. That helped refine his court awareness in basketball.
It would be poetic if football — USC’s most important sport — helps the Trojans and Collier reach new heights in men’s basketball.
If the point guard's job is to "paint the picture," Isaiah Collier is a true artist.
Ep. 2 ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/8RzhGwLjQf
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) July 12, 2023
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