J-Mac improving along with Trojans


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Point totals can be deceiving.

USC sophomore star guard Jordan McLaughlin put up just nine points against UCLA at the Galen Center last Thursday, but his command of the floor is improving with every game.

In that win over the crosstown rivals — to complete the regular season sweep — McLaughlin continued to look like one of the best at his position in the entire country. He helped USC to its 18th win of the season, an 80-61 rout of the Bruins.

McLaughlin’s impressive play has naturally been a major talking point for any USC fans who like to make comparisons. The sophomore is right up there with the best of the best, including Maryland’s Melo Trimble and Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell.

Trimble is consistently lighting it up for the Terps, as he has guided his team to 21 wins by early February. Trimble’s game has few foibles and his vision on the floor is stunning. The silky smooth sophomore has drawn comparisons to Steph Curry. Trimble excels in pick-and-roll situations and is lethal when he attacks the basket, able to dish it off to a big man at the rim.

Likewise, Ferrell — a senior leader on a talented Hoosier team — has been one of the most exciting players in all of college basketball this season. Ferrell is unselfish. His passing is exquisite and his work rate is never to be questioned. Ferrell led IU on a 25-0 run to end the first half at Michigan last week, looking borderline unstoppable in the process.

McLaughlin missed time last season due to injury, but he has stayed healthy in the 2015-2016 campaign. He has already logged over 700 minutes of game action, playing just over 31 minutes per game. The one-two punch of McLaughlin and junior guard Julian Jacobs has been an absolute handful for USC’s opponents this season.

McLaughlin is shooting better than 45 percent from the field and is nearly hitting 42 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. His three-ball has been big for USC this season, but it will be massive for him moving forward.

In order to be one of the most feared guards in the NBA, developing a jump shot is essential. Rajon Rondo, Jeff Teague and Kemba Walker are all pro guards who refined their jumpers to take their game to the next level. McLaughlin has nailed 40 3-pointers this season, one less than Maryland’s Trimble and 12 less than Indiana’s Ferrell. The veteran Ferrell has seen his deep ball improve from roughly 30 percent during his freshman year to almost 46 percent during his senior year. McLaughlin is only a sophomore and is enjoying similar success from downtown.

McLaughlin’s game is incredibly well-rounded and his skill in pick-and-roll situations is evident. He effortlessly spreads the ball around and always seems to find the open man.

With the resurgence of Trojan basketball as a whole, there has unsurprisingly been a return of USC players garnering national attention. For a program that has produced the likes of Taj Gibson, DeMar DeRozan and Nick Young, the rise of McLaughlin has been a welcome sight for the faithful.

Josh Cohen is a sophomore majoring in broadcast and digital journalism. His column, “Cohen’s Corner,” runs every other Tuesday.