The state of USC basketball

Even after a third trip to the NCAA tournament in three years, I've been meaning to post this for a while. This being a look into the recruiting classes during the Tim Floyd era. I'll leave the next paragraph in to show what prompted me to post this in the first place, the frustration I had during the season, before the run the Pac-10 tournament and the win over BC and playing Michigan State close in the NCAA tournament. And yes, this on the heels of this Rivals article that has USC ranked #7 entering next season (and UCLA not even ranked!):

http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=933183

I've been meaning to this for a while, but after a Sweet 16 run in 2007 and another trip to the NCAA Tourney in 2008, the USC basketball team may be in some trouble of reaching the field of 65 this year. Right now, the Trojans are 15-9 (6-6) and in the midst of a three game losing streak, an RPI of 44 but only 3-7 (wins vs. Arizona, Arizona State, and Cal) against the top 50 RPI teams. Quality wins include victories over the three teams mentioned in the RPI top 50. Bad losses include games against Seton Hall and Oregon State, though it could be argued that the Trojans' other losses were to very good teams (#2 Oklahoma, #10 Missouri, #11 Arizona State, #15 UCLA (twice), #19 Washington, and a red-hot Arizona team).

But what's the problem? Coach Tim Floyd has been pulling in quality recruiting classes ever since he's been at USC, but in this past weekend's games, only six players saw quality playing time, though one (Leonard Washington) saw sparce minutes on Sunday. So where's the depth? Where are all of the scholarships going? Let's take a look at the classes that Floyd has signed while at the helm of USC (rankings from Rivals.com).

2005

Jeremy Barr (6-7, PF, 3 stars) - Played in 23 games (started 3) as a freshman in 2005-06, averaging 12.1 minutes, 3.1 points, and 1.5 rebounds per game while shooting 26.9% from the free throw line. Transferred after his freshman year to Louisiana-Lafayette, though was offered to play for the Trojan football team before deciding to leave USC. Was the #118 ranked player by Rivals.
RouSean Cromwell (6-8, PF, 3 stars) - Played in 15 games (started 5) as a freshman in 2005-06, averaging 18.5 minutes, 4.2 points, and 4.5 rebounds per game. Played in 33 games (started 5) as a sophomre in 2006-07, averaging 13.1 minutes, 2.3 points, and 2.2 rebounds per game. Played in 21 games (started 1) as a junior in 2007-08, averaging 7.9 minutes, 0.7 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. Decided to sit out this season, and maybe the rest of his career, due to personal reasons. Was the #130 ranked player by Rivals.
Ryan Francis (5-11, PG) - Played in 30 games (started all 30) as a freshman in 2005-06, averaging 32.3 minutes, 7.1 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. Was murdered in his hometown of Baton Rouge, LA.
Abdoulaye Ndiaye (6-11, C) - Played in 30 games (started 24) as a junior (JC transfer) in 2005-06, averaging 22.2 minutes, 5.3 points, and 4.7 rebounds per game. Played in 32 games (started 14) as a senior in 2006-07, averaging 12.3 minutes, 3.1 points, and 2.8 rebounds per game. Finished his eligibility at USC.
Sead Odzic (6-3, SG, 3 stars) - Played in 30 games (started 5) as a freshman in 2005-06, averaging 15.4 minutes, 3.2 points, and 1.2 rebounds per game. Transferred to Illinois State.
Collin Robinson (6-2, SG) - Played in 9 games as a freshman in 2005-06, averaging 3.9 minutes, 1.4 points, and 0.l7 rebounds per game. Transferred to Cornell, but quit the team before the start Ivy League play in 2007-08, and returned to USC to continue his studies.
Keith Wilkinson (6-9, PF) - Played in 19 games as a freshman in 2005-06, averaging 8.7 minutes, 1.1 points, and 1.4 rebounds per game. Played in 33 games (started 5) as a sophomore in 2006-07, averaging 11.9 minutes, 1.7 points, and 2.2 rebounds per game. Played in 30 games (started 3) as a junior in 2007-08, averaging 13.5 minutes, 2.5 points, and 2.8 rebounds per game. Has played in 31 games (starting 12) as a senior 2008-09, averaging 18.5 minutes, 2.7 points, and 2.5 rebounds per game. Finished his eligibilty at USC.
Class analysis: Francis was the real bright spot of the class, making an immediate impact as a reliable ball handler and being the best defender on the team, but his untimely death has made a real impact on the program. With a true point guard on this year's team, Daniel Hackett would be able to play his natural position at swingman, and also add a much needed depth to this team. The void at point guard can also be put on Angelo Johnson's departure. USC still has a hole at center, but Ndiaye, Cromwell, and Wilkinson (despite playing major minutes this year) have failed to fill that void. Departures of Odzic and Robinson don't hurt as much. Barr was a bust from the start. Who knew Wilkinson would be the one from this class playing crunch time minutes as a senior, though he lost a lot of PT when Leonard Washington returned from injury.

2006

Kyle Austin (6-6, PF, 3 stars) - Played in 17 games as a freshman in 2006-07, averaging 7.3 minutes, 1.4 points, and 1.6 rebounds per game. Transfered to UC-Riverside.
Kasey Cunningham (6-7, SF, 3 stars) - Redshirted in 2006-07. Played in 9 games (starting 3) as a redshirt freshman in 2007-08, averaging 14.6 minutes, 2.7 points, and 2.6 rebounds per game before a season ending knee injury. Played 4 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2008-09, averaging 10.3 minutes, 2.8 points, and 2.8 rebounds per game before another season ending knee injury.
Kevin Galloway (6-6, SF, 3 stars) - Played in 13 games (started 1) as a freshman in 2006-07, averaging 12.1 minutes, 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Tried to transfer to Fresno State, but did not qualify academically, so played at College of Southern Idaho. Transferred to Kentucky was a JUCO player.
Taj Gibson (6-8, PF, 4 stars) - Played in 37 games (started all) as a freshman in 2006-07, averaging 32.4 minutes, 12.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game and was named to the Pac-10 All Freshman team. Played in 33 games (started 32) as a sophomore in 2007-08, averaging 32.1 minutes, 10.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game and was named to the All-Pac-10 Third team and the Pac-10 All-Defensive team. Played in 35 games (started all) as a junior in 2008-09, averaging 33.7 minutes, 14.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game and was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Pac-10 Second team. Was the #32 ranked player by Rivals in his class.
Daniel Hackett (6-5, SG, 4 stars) - Played in 37 games (started 16) as a freshman (entered school a year early to play point guard) in 2006-07, averaging 21.9 minutes, 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Played in 29 games (started 26) as a sophomre in 2007-08, averaging 30.8 minutes, 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Played in 35 games (started all) as a junior in 2008-09, averaging 37.3 minutes, 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game and was named to the All-Pac-10 Second team and Pac-10 All-Defensive team. Was the #67 ranked player by Rivals in the 2007 class.
Dwight Lewis (6-5, SG, 3 stars) - Played in 37 games (started 11) as a freshman in 2006-07, averaging 19.8 minutes, 5.8 points, and 2.1 rebounds per game. Played in 33 games (started 32) as a sophomore in 2007-08, averaging 32.7 minutes, 10.8 points, and 2.4 rebounds per game. Played in 33 games (started 32) as a junior in 2008-09, averaging 36.1 minutes, 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Jordan Cameron (6-5, SG, N/A) - Decided to play for the football team as a wide receiver, though played in 3 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2008-09, playing a total of 4 minutes with one rebound.
Class analysis: The trio of Gibson, Lewis, and Hackett have been the core of the USC program for the past three seasons, with Lewis being the leading scorer, Hackett the floor general, and Gibson the defensive stalwart. Austin and Galloway transferred, but they were swingman, and the Trojans have a stockpile of those. Cunningham has shown flashes, but he has been injury riddled and may never be at full strength. Cameron should stick to either football or basketball, as he's not great at either sport. But Gibson, Lewis, and Hackett are arugably the most important recruits of Floyd's tenure, with Gibson and Hackett fighting it out (not literally Italion Stallion...) for the top spot. More on that later.

2007

Mamadou Diarra (6-10, PF, 4 stars) - Played in 3 games as a freshman in 2007-08, averaging 3.3 minutes per game, scoring two points and grabbing 1 rebound before taking a redshirt. Played in 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2008-09, averaging 2.8 minutes, 0.7 points, and 0.4 rebounds per game. Was the #70 ranked player by Rivals in his class.
Davon Jefferson (6-7, SF, 5 stars) - Played in 29 games (started 25) as a freshman in 2007-08, averaging 27.8 minutes, 12.1 points, and 6.3 rebounds per game. Declared for the NBA draft after his freshman season, but was not drafted and currently playing pro ball overseas. Was the #15 ranked player by Rivals in the 2006 class, but did not qualify for USC until 2007.
Angelo Johnson (5-10, PG, 3 stars) - Played in 33 games (started 11) as a freshman in 2007-08, averaging 22.6 minutes, 4.5 points, and 2.1 assists while shooting 40.3% from 3 point range. Was academically disqualified after the season and transferred to Southern Mississippi. Was the #120 ranked player by Rivals in his class.
O.J. Mayo (6-5, PG, 5 stars) - Played in 33 games (started 32) as a freshman in 2007-08, averaging 36.8 minutes, 20.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while making 88 3-pointers. Declared for the NBA draft after his freshman season and was drafted #3 by Minnesota, then traded to Memphis. Was the #4 ranked player by Rivals in his class.
Marcus Simmons (6-4, SF, 3 stars) - Played in 15 games as a freshman in 2007-08, averaging 6.7 minutes, 0.5 points, and 1.5 rebounds per game. Played in 27 games (started 6) as a sophomore in 2008-09, averaging 11.7 minutes, 1.9 points, and 1.2 rebounds per game.
Class analysis: What an empty class. With Mayo and Jefferson, we got a year of frustration (loss to Kansas State in the NCAA tournament), inconsistency (finished fourth in the Pac-10), and turmoil (Jefferson was a locker room cancer, Mayo probably left USC with a bunch of infractions). All that's left is a stiff Nigerian (what? he's not Nigerian? whatever...) and a defensive stopper (Simmons) who Floyd used as his ace up his sleeve during the Pac-10 and NCAA tournaments this year. Johnson was promising in his only year here, as a solid sixth man and the point guard of the future, but he likely killed USC's APR score for 2007. Ugh. At least the 2005 class gave us Keith Wilkinson...

2008

Demar DeRozan (6-5, SG, 5 stars) - Played 35 games (started all) as a freshman in 2008-09, averaging 33.4 minutes, 13.9 points, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Was the #3 ranked player by Rivals in his class.
Percy Miller (5-10, PG, 2 stars) - Played 6 games as a freshman in 2008-09, logging 12 minutes, 3 points, and 2 rebounds.
Donte Smith (5-11, SG, 2 stars) - Played 24 games (started 3) as a freshman in 2008-09, averaging 9.7 minutes, 2.3 points, and 0.9 assists per game.
Nikola Vucevic (6-10, PF, 3 stars) - Played 23 games (started 3) as a freshman in 2008-09, averaging 11.0 minutes, 2.6 points, and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Leonard Washington (6-6, SF, 3 stars) - Played 30 games (started 13) as a freshman in 2008-09, averaging 17.9 minutes, 6.1 points, and 4.2 rebounds per game. Took a year to become academically eligible to enroll at USC.
Class analysis: DeRozan never lived up to the Mayo hype, as he could not take over games like O.J. could. Miller was a throw in to get DeRozan, but he lived up to his hype of being a player not worthy of a D-I basketball scholarship. Smith and Vucevic showed promise as role players, but Floyd showed little faith in him. Washington gave the post some depth, let's see how he will do next season.

And a quick look at 2009's class:

Solomon Hill (6-6, SF, 4 stars) Not yet signed. Ranked #28 by Rivals
Noel Johnson (6-7, SF, 4 stars) Ranked #38 by Rivals
Renardo Sidney (6-10, PF, 5 stars) Not yet signed. Ranked #10 by Rivals
Evan Smith (6-6, SF, N/A) Not yet signed
Alex Stepheson (6-10, PF) Transfer from North Carolina
Derrick Williams (6-7, PF, 3 stars)

All that's missing is a point guard, aargawrgafhay4a... Anyway, this could be a very, very solid team if everyone returns. Even if DeRozan leaves, a strong group remains. A starting lineup of Hackett, Lewis, Johnson, Gibson, and Sidney/Stepheson with Sidney/Stepheson, Washington, Marcus Johnson, and Donte Smith off the bench. Very intriguing team there. Maybe a #7 preseason ranking isn't too high...

And the five most important recruits of the Tim Floyd era...

5. O.J. Mayo, he led the way for big name recuits to come to USC, showing that we are not just a football school. Even though he didn't do anything in his year as a Trojan, him playing here probably paved the way for DeRozan and Sidney and Johnson this year to come to USC.
4. Dwight Lewis, who knew he would be the leading scorer as a junior? Not the flashiest player, but always solid and can hit the jumper. Part of the 2006 class which has helped put USC back on the college basketball map.
3. Ryan Francis, probably my favorite player of the Tim Floyd era, played with so much heart in his only year here. He may have played one year for USC, but he will always be a Trojan (yes, that's corny, but it's true).
2. Daniel Hackett, second of the 2006 trio, but he was only a role player in his first year and struggled to get out of Mayo's shadow as a sophomore. But no one could question who was the general on the court this year.
1. Taj Gibson, a star of the team in all three years here. Most consistent player of the Floyd era, teetering on a double-double each year.

Anyway, a lot of the recruits Floyd has been pulling in have either dropped out of the program altogether, or have just not lived up to their billing. There have only been three gems that he has found, them being Gibson, Lewis, and Hackett. He has filled the lineup with one-and-dones, which would hurt team chemistry if it weren't for Gibson, Lewis, Hackett. Next season's team looks really good, especially if DeRozan stays, but on paper, USC should have been a top 25 team for the past two years but failed to live up to expectations. Here's to hoping that the Trojans have a successful run in 2009-10.