USC basketball adds transfer in former Long Beach State standout Joshua Morgan

Andy Enfield and his coaching staff may have spent the last month in isolation, but that hasn’t slowed the sudden flow of transfers to the USC basketball program.

The Trojans added yet another Friday, as Long Beach State center Joshua Morgan became the fourth player to announce his transfer to USC this offseason. Unlike the three before him, Morgan will join the Trojans with more than one season of eligibility remaining.

When he’ll be eligible to play immediately is still uncertain. The NCAA is expected to vote on a one-time transfer rule in the coming months. If that policy is passed, Morgan would likely be eligible as a sophomore next season.

It took just one season at Long Beach State for larger programs to take notice. As a freshman, the 6-foot-11 Morgan was named Big West defensive player of the year. He was tied for 13th in the nation with 80 blocks and averaged 8.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.

That ability to protect the rim will be at a premium for USC in the absence of Onyeka Okongwu, who declared for the NBA draft last month. Incoming freshman Evan Mobley is expected to stay only one season before leaving USC with a dearth of shot blockers in his wake.

Morgan, who entered the transfer portal last week, could be a worthy replacement, at least defensively. In December, he had 11 points and six rebounds against USC while blocking four shots in a loss at Galen Center.

Five months later, Morgan is primed to join the Trojans, after several Pac-12 programs showed interest. Once lightly recruited out of high school in Sacramento, Morgan was courted by UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State, among others.

He chose USC instead, joining Santa Clara guard Tahj Eaddy, Utah Valley forward Isaiah White and Wofford big man Chevez Goodwin as new Trojans.