NCAA Basketball: Impact of Bronny James committing to USC Trojans

Oregon and Ohio State should be just fine

There wasn’t a full recruitment overall but the two rumored programs in the mix were Oregon and Ohio State. But based on their offseason moves, they both seemed to have moved on from the Bronny sweepstakes.

Ohio State already had a top-50 combo guard on the roster in Taison Chatman in the 2023 class. Plus, Bruce Thornton, a likely sophomore breakout candidate, is back after a strong freshman campaign. Baylor transfer Dale Bonner gives the program a veteran presence as well. With Minnesota transfer wing Jamison Battle and forward Zed Key returning, the Buckeyes should have a top-25 team itself.

As for Oregon, they already have a pair of five-star forward prospects on board in KJ Evans and Mookie Cook, as well as top-40 point guard commit, Jackson Shelstad. They bring back role player Keeshawn Barthélémy for another year and added a pair of starting-caliber guard transfers in Kario Oquendo and Devan Cambridge. There’s plenty of talent on this roster without James but also plenty of questions.

Overall, it’s a clear sign that even without public notices, NCAA Basketball teams were aware that Bronny James was going to end up a USC Trojan. But how will it work out?