Bronny James’ recruitment is still open for business, according to USC Trojans commit Isaiah Collier.
Collier, the No. 3 player in ESPN’s top-100 rankings, used his time at the McDonald’s All-American Game to recruit James to join him in the Trojans’ backcourt.
James is one of the nation’s top remaining unsigned recruits. On3.com gives Ohio State a 95 percent chance of landing James but Collier has a better pitch than landing at his father’s former top school.
“He’s a great shooter,” Collier said to 247Sports. “I feel like he’s one of the best all-around players in the country. So, he’s a great player and knows how to play the game, and he’s not going to overdo anything. … I’m looking forward to [playing with him], and I’m definitely trying to recruit him. I’m just telling him he can stay home, that’s all I’ve got say.”
Collier Expected To Step Into Starting PG Role At USC
USC will be in need of a point guard in 2023 and Collier is expected to step into the starting role right away.
The Trojans will be losing two seniors, Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson, who accounted for 100 percent of the team’s minutes at the point guard spot, according to KenPom.com.
Collier is a natural lead guard, but at 6-foot-4, has the ability to play both the point guard and shooting guard spots at the college level.
That could open up the possibility for James to slide in alongside Collier in the Trojans’ backcourt for head coach Andy Enfield.
USC finished 22-11 with a 14-6 record in PAC-12 play. However, the Trojans suffered a disappointing end to their season, losing in the first round of the PAC-12 Tournament and the opening round of March Madness.
Will Bronny James Join Isaiah Collier In The Trojans’ Backcourt?
It’s interesting that Collier, a highly-touted prospect in his own right, would recruit Bronny to USC even though both play the point guard position.
Collier, the Gatorade Georgia High School Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 20.2 points, 6.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 steals. He led Wheeler High School to a 26-6 record and defeated region rival Cherokee for the fourth time to win the Class 7A State Championship.
Paul Biancardi, National Recruiting Director for ESPN, had this to say about Collier’s game:
“Collier is the ultimate playmaker who shines when playing out of pick-and-rolls. He reads the floor and has excellent passing vision. A willing and accurate passer who now is dependable from deep, he’s special because he creates endless scoring opportunities for his teammates and, at the same time, can score big on his own when needed.”
To Collier’s credit, he’s welcomed the challenge of co-existing with James, who will be one of the most highly scrutinized players in college basketball next season.
The Wheeler guard believes that Bronny’s shooting and basketball IQ would ultimately make for a good fit alongside his natural play-making abilities.
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