USC Basketball: Guard Derryck Thornton to reportedly transfer

The USC Trojans will be without another key player next season due to transfer. Trojans point guard Derryck Thornton will leave the program as a grad transfer per CBS Sports Jon Rothstien.

Thornton transferred to USC back in 2016 after spending his freshman season at Duke. The junior will be eligible to play right away as a grad transfer. Thornton will be the fourth player to transfer out of the USC basketball program. Forwards J’Rann Brooks and Victor Uyaelunmo are currently in the transfer portal while guard Jordan Usher transferred to Georgia Tech back in December.

Last season, Thornton stepped in to replace senior point guard Jordan McLaughlin. The junior point guard played in 32 games and started in 27 of those games. Thornton averaged 7.7 points per game, 4.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds.

The loss of Thornton won’t be a huge one with the Trojans adding three transfers that include guard Quinton Adlesh and wing Daniel Utomi, who are both eligible to play next season as grad transfers. They also return freshman Elijah Weaver and junior Jonah Mathews to provide experience and production at the perimeter. To add to things, USC will bring in three star guards Drake London, Ethan Anderson, and Kyle Sturdivant from a top five 2019 recruiting class.

Thornton was committed to Duke as a five star point guard out of Finlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada. As a freshman, he played in 36 games and averaged 26 minutes. Following his freshman year, Thornton transferred to USC, however due to the NCAA transfer rules, Thornton was forced to sit the 16-17 season. As a redshirt sophomore, Thornton was a back up to Jordan McLaughlin during the 2017-18 season where he played in 25 games and started in one.