NBA Opening Night proves USC Basketball is getting players to the NBA

NBA Opening Night was this week, and USC Basketball was very well-represented. There were 11 USC basketball alumni on Opening Night rosters. Those 11 alumni would be Jordan McLaughlin, Chimezie Metu, Onyeka Okongwu, Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Porter Jr., Taj Gibson, DeWayne Dedmon, Isaiah Mobley, Evan Mobley, and De'anthony Melton.

Seeing those names playing at the next level is quite refreshing, but even more so when realizing that those 11 resulted in SC being tied for seventh in the country in most alumni players on Opening Night rosters. It goes to show that SC gets players to the league. Not only that, but they get players to the league at a high clip.

Heck, one of those players--DeRozan--is even an All-NBA player. He was named to the Second-Team All-NBA roster this past year, and it wasn't his first time (2017-2018 season). He also was Third-Team All-NBA in the 2016-2017 season.

He in particular went crazy on Opening Night--scoring 37 points on 14 of 22 shooting. He hit two out of three three-point shots, and has nine assists and six rebounds. On defense, he picked up two steals and a block. He remains one of the best two-way players in basketball. He remains a franchise player in the NBA; nowadays for the Chicago Bulls.

USC Basketball is getting guys into the NBA, even when they have a disappointing season like last year.

USC Basketball was knocked out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, yet still added another player to their NBA roster; Isaiah Mobley. It goes to show that USC has turned into a solid NBA program under Andy Enfield, and it's a big part of why they may churn out a super class in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

They'll have a couple more players in the conversation this upcoming draft season in Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis. Those are two players who almost came out for the draft this last year. Poised for big seasons, they very well may continue the momentum that USC has as an NBA factory.