Former Trojans to watch as the NBA season tips off

As the 75th NBA anniversary season of the NBA is set to begin, there are a few former USC stars to look out for. 

Guard DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls:

DeMar DeRozan played his one and only season at USC from
2008-2009. As a freshman, he appeared in all 35 games for the Trojans and averaged 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. DeRozan went on to win the 2009 Pac-10 Tournament MVP, make the Pac-10 All-Freshman team and had his jersey retired in 2020. 

After one season with the Trojans, DeRozan declared for the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected with the 9th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors. As a Raptor, DeRozan was a four time NBA All-Star and was selected to two All-NBA teams. 

After nine seasons with Toronto in which DeRozan helped lead the team to the playoffs five times, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs made the playoffs in DeRozan’s first of three seasons with the team. In his three seasons with the Spurs, DeRozan averaged 21.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.

Last offseason, the Chicago Bulls acquired the All-Star guard from San Antonio in a sign-and-trade deal. DeRozan will be joined by former USC center and teammate Nikola Vucevic. He joins a backcourt featuring two former UCLA players Lonzo Ball and Zach Lavine, in a foursome of crosstown rivals. The Bulls will strive to make a playoff push in the Eastern Conference with high hopes of making its first postseason appearance since 2017.

Center Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls:

Before Vucevic became one of the most consistent centers in the NBA, he played three seasons for the Trojans from 2008 to 2011. The seven-footer averaged 11.1 points and 8 rebounds per game in his time at USC. Vucevic was a Second-Team All-Pac-10 selection in 2010 and a First-Team All-Pac-10 selection in 2011.

Following his third season with USC, Vucevic was drafted in the 2011 NBA Draft with the 16th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers. After one season in Philadelphia, Vucevic was traded to the Orlando Magic. Vucevic played eight full seasons with the Magic before being traded in the middle of last season to the Chicago Bulls. In Orlando, Vucevic made two NBA All-Star appearances.
Career-wise, the center averages 16.9 points, 10.4 rebounds per game and 2.7 assists per game.

Vucevic appeared in 26 games with the Bulls last year and averaged 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, making his second All-Star game appearance.

Power Forward/Center Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers:

The Trojans made their first Elite Eight appearance since 2001 in last year’s NCAA Tournament, and center Evan Mobley contributed to the team’s success along the way. Standing at 7-feet and 215 pounds, Mobley had a breakout year in his one and only season at USC. He played in 33 games and averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.8 blocks per game.

Mobley was the Pac-12 Player of the Year, made First-team
All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All Defensive and All-Freshman teams, received Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, and was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. He’s the second player in college basketball history to also sweep a conference’s Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year since Anthony Davis in 2012.

After his superb first season with the Trojans, Mobley declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 3rd overall pick behind prospects Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green. 

Mobley joins a Cavaliers frontcourt stacked with veterans such as Kevin Love, Lauri Markkanen and Jarrett Allen. He will need to earn his minutes as a rookie and make an immediate impact on a rebuilding Cavs team. 

Guard Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets:

In Kevin Porter Jr.’s lone season with USC, he appeared in 21 games and averaged 9.5 points, 4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Following his first year with the Trojans, he was drafted with the 30th overall pick in 2019 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded to the Cavaliers on draft night. In his short stint with Cleveland, he appeared in 50 games and averaged 10 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Porter Jr. was traded to the Houston Rockets the following season and briefly played with Houston’s G-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. 

Porter Jr. showcased his potential as he made the 2021 All-NBA G-League First Team. Porter Jr. appeared in 26 games for the Rockets last season, averaging 16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. 

The highlight game for the former Trojan, however, was against the Bucks as he finished with a statline of 50 points, 5 rebounds and 11 assists along with 9 three pointers made. At 20 years old, Porter Jr. became the youngest player to record a game with at least 50 points and 10 assists.

However, the Rockets drafted guard Jalen Green with their second overall pick in the 2021 Draft. Green, another scoring guard, and Porter Jr. will need to find a balance between himself and Green on the court.

Power Forward Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks:

In one season at USC, Okongwu averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. He was also named to the
All-Pac-12 first team and the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. 

Drafted 6th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2020, Okongwu played in 50 games last season and averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He played a key role in the Hawks’ playoff run last season. Okongwu will be out until December as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

Power Forward/Center Taj Gibson, New York Knicks:

Taj Gibson played three solid seasons for the Trojans from
2006-2009. He averaged close to a double-double with 12.4 points and 8.5 rebounds along with 2.4 blocks on the defensive end. Gibson’s consistent production earned him a Third-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2008, a Second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2009 and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the year award in the same season.

Following his third season at USC, Gibson declared for the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected with the 26th overall pick by the Bulls. Gibson was a selection for the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2010 and played seven full seasons with the Bulls before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in February 2017. After only appearing in 23 games for the Thunder, Gibson entered free agency and signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2017 offseason. After two seasons in Minnesota that included a playoff appearance, Gibson signed with the New York Knicks and he now enters his third season with the team.

Gibson has 12 years of NBA experience and played in 71 playoff games, most recently as a part of the Knicks who made their first postseason appearance since 2013 last season. Gibson will look to contribute to a Knicks team that had a busy offseason with the acquisitions of All-Star guard Kemba Walker and veteran guard Evan Fournier.