USC basketball injury updates: Eric Musselman updates status of multiple players
As USC basketball begins its preseason preparations in earnest as it heads into its first season under head coach Eric Musselman, the Trojans do so with a handful of players still recovering from various injuries.
Practices have been a touch light as those guys recover their form and ramp back up to 100%. But some are very close to a full return already.
“[Chibuzo Agbo]’s out with knee soreness,” Musselman said on Tuesday. “Should be practicing on Monday when we go into our 20 hours. Matt Knowling, back to limited live stuff but should be full go on Monday.”
Both of those players are graduate transfers into the USC basketball program this offseason.
Agbo arrives from Boise State, where he spent the last two seasons. He had previously played at Texas Tech.
During his final season with the Broncos, Agbo averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He’s a 6-foot-7, 226-pound prospect with some muscle in the frontcourt.
Knowling joined USC basketball by way of Yale, where he made an NCAA Tournament appearance last season and even won an opening-round game. Knowling averaged 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists as a versatile option on the wing.
Then there’s Desmond Claude, who is doing well after recovering from an injury.
“Desmond’s been great,” Musselman said. “Yeah, he’s been totally live, contact, everything for quite some time now.”
Claude transferred in from Xavier this offseason after having a breakout sophomore campaign. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, offering excellent length in the backcourt as a 6-foot-6 guard.
There is, however, some bad news for the Trojans on the injury front.
“(Kallai) Patton a ways away,” Musselman said. “He’s out indefinitely. I mean he had the surgery and it will just be how rehab goes and stuff. Basically hip.”
Patton is a freshman with the USC basketball program.