Arkansas coach Eric Musselman is heading west.
USC introduced Thursday that Musselman could be the college’s new males’s basketball coach. He replaces Andy Enfield after Enfield left the Trojans to take the pinnacle teaching job at SMU.
Musselman leaves Arkansas after 5 seasons with the Razorbacks and many NCAA event success. Arkansas made the event in three of his 5 seasons and received eight video games throughout these three appearances.
Arkansas superior to the Elite Eight in each 2021 and 2022 and made the Candy 16 in 2023. The Razorbacks have been a No. 8 seed a season in the past and upset No. 1 seed Kansas within the second spherical earlier than dropping to eventual nationwide champ UConn.
The 2023-24 season was a disappointment in Fayetteville, nevertheless. Arkansas completed 16-17 total and was simply 6-12 within the SEC. That efficiency didn’t put Musselman’s job in critical jeopardy, nevertheless. After the season was over, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek posted to social media that Musselman was staying in Arkansas.
That message was earlier than Enfield left for SMU, nevertheless. And with Enfield heading to Dallas, Musselman shortly grew to become USC’s high candidate.
USC is Musselman’s third head teaching stint within the state of California and his first in faculty basketball. Musselman beforehand served as the pinnacle coach of the Golden State Warriors for 2 seasons from 2002-04 and was the pinnacle coach of the Sacramento Kings for the 2006-07 season. After that season with the Kings, Musselman coached within the G. League earlier than shifting to the school ranks.
At USC, Musselman will take over a program that additionally made the NCAA event for 3 consecutive seasons earlier than lacking it in 2024. However USC hasn’t had the common season or event success that Arkansas has had in that span.
USC misplaced within the first spherical in each 2023 and 2022 after advancing to the Elite Eight as a No. 6 seed in 2021. Expectations have been excessive for the Trojans in 2023-24, however USC stumbled to a 15-18 file and was simply 8-12 within the Pac-12.
The Trojans will probably have a vastly completely different roster subsequent season as they transfer to the Massive Ten. Main scorer Boogie Ellis was a senior and freshman Isaiah Collier may very well be a first-round choose if and when he declares for this summer time’s draft.
Bronny James’ futurę can also be in query. He averaged 19 minutes per recreation over 25 video games after a cardiac difficulty over the summer time and scored simply 4.8 factors per contest. James might discover the NBA draft as LeBron has stated that he’d like to play along with his son within the NBA earlier than he retires.
