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After adding Bronny James, is USC the Pac-12 favorite?

Bronny James may not start for the Trojans, but his addition could spell trouble for the CU Buffs.

LOS ANGELES — Bronny James, the top uncommitted player in the class of 2023 and the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, officially declared his commitment to Andy Enfield and the USC Trojans for the 2023-24 season.

USC was one of a handful of schools long considered in the mix to land James, a list that included Oregon, Memphis, and of course Ohio State near where Bronny grew up.

Now he'll stay put in Southern California with a chance to play alongside veteran guard Boogie Ellis (17.7 points per game last year) and incoming guard Isaiah Collier, a top five prospect in the 2023 class.

Locked on College Basketball hosts Andy Patton and Isaac Schade discuss if adding James to an already excellent backcourt is enough to vault this team into preseason Pac-12 favorites.

"I think the conversation for the Pac-12 remains the big three in UCLA, in Arizona, and in USC," Patton said. "I think USC has moved much closer into that conversation."

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James vaulted up prospect lists after a stellar senior season at Sierra Canyon, and despite making it into the top 20 for the class of 2023 he is still expected to come off the bench for Enfield and the Trojans next year. 

Ellis and Collier are the presumed starters, but James should fill a valuable role for a team that also added four star center Arrinten Page in what is easily the strongest recruiting class in program history.

Can the Trojans take over the Pac-12 from stalwart programs like UCLA and Arizona? Hard to say at this point, as the Wildcats are not done adding to their roster even after snagging Jaden Bradley from Alabama, and the Bruins are awaiting decisions from Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona that will dramatically impact their roster next season.

One thing is certain: USC will be must-watch TV next season in what could be Bronny's only season of college basketball. They tip off in Vegas on November 6.

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