Sports Writer Will Lyons gives you a glimpse into the 2024-25 outlook for the rejuvenated powerhouse out of Los Angeles.
In the new world of college athletics there are a few different pieces that go into a successful off-season. Your traditional recruiting class, retaining talent from last season and hitting the transfer portal. If you can have any success in these areas there should be tremendous optimism for next season.
Insert Coach Lindsay Gottlieb and her staff. They hit the recruiting trail with a vengeance and leveraged two major opportunities, NIL opportunities that come along with winning and visibility, and the opportunity to play with Juju Watkins the rising sophomore phenom that led her team to the Final Four as true freshmen. The staff got out and secured the top recruiting class in the country bringing in a super talented group with three five stars and three four stars.
Kennedy Smith- 6'1" Forward Etiwanda HS (CA)- Dynamic player that can score, rebound and defend at a high level. Coach Gottlieb secures the commitment from the top player from CA for the second year in a row. And after a couple strong showings on the all-star circuit fans have to be excited about the versatile hooper out of Etiwanda.
Kayleigh Heckel - 5'9" Guard LUHI (NY) - Cerebral guard that really excels getting out in transition and finding her spots in the half court. Heckel can finish at the basket with a variety of shots or excel in the midrange. With the addition of Talia von Oelhoffen we can expect to see Heckel be a spark off the bench in year one.
Vivian Iwuchukwu - 6'4" Center Montverde (FL) - Long, athletic post player that plays with an edge. Iwuchukwu make great use of her length as an imposing shot blocker and finisher around the basket. Watching some film on her I was very impressed on how she immediatley makes herself available once she rolls off (or slips) a screen. She finishes over either shoulder and will impact the game in year one behind returning center Rayah Marshall.
Other incoming freshmen include steady guard Avery Howell (ID), Guard Rian Forrester (FL) and forward Laura Williams (VA).
The next phase of USC's pursuit of dominance was hitting the transfer portal. As we have seen since the rules around transferring the portal can be a gift for some teams and can also be devastating for others as their stars leave for greener pastures. USC was poised for another great season but they added two big time players that could possibly push them over the edge.
Kiki Iriafen - The 6'3" power forward joins the Trojans after a stellar career at Stanford. Last season Kiki averaged 19.4 PPG and 11 RPG on her way to all conference honors. She is an extremely talented player that can do damage on the low block and also knock down jumpers at a reliable clip. Adding the top player in the portal is typically a recipe for success and Kiki's game should pair extremely well with superstar sophomore Juju Watkins.
Talia von Oelhoffen - A heady guard that brings 4 seasons of experience at Oregon State to the talented but young Trojans. von Oelhoffen can score and make plays for others at a solid clip. Last season she averaged 10.7 PPG, 5 APG and 4 RPG showcasing her versatility in a variety of ways. The two time All-PAC12 selection brings a steady hand to run the show while the freshmen guards settle in.
The other side of the portal is keeping your talent home in this dynamic and quickly involving world of NIL offers. USC keeps Juju Watkins, Aaliyah Gayles and Rayah Marshall which could be consider a win in itself. Finding success in the portal and on the recruiting trail on top of keeping big time talent is a recipe for success (see South Carolina last season). Marshall brings rebounding, shot blocking and a reliable presence in the paint. Getting a second season of Aaliyah Gayles as she finds her way back should really be interesting as well, she was a big time player in high school. And of course we know that USC's chances ultimately go through Judea Juju Watkins. The generational talent out of LA has embraced resurrecting the hometown program and has the support of the greats that came before her like Cheryl Miller.
Outlook: With the additions and retentions USC Women's basketball is easily a top 4 team in the country and should at minimum be looking at a Final Four if everyone is healthy. Coach Gottlieb had her team in the Final Four last season and with more talent plus a contract extension she could be looking at her first championship game appearance.
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