USC Trojans Basketball Recruiting: Decision Looms For 5-Star Guard Brayden Burries

2025 five-star guard Brayden Burries has almost every prominent team in the country vying for his signature. The USC Trojans are hoping to get in the mix for the Southern California native as he looks to shut down his recruitment in the coming weeks.
Jan 3, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Roosevelt High School (CA) guard Brayden Burries (5) against Sandra Day O’Connor High School (AZ) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Imagesn Images
Jan 3, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Roosevelt High School (CA) guard Brayden Burries (5) against Sandra Day O’Connor High School (AZ) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Imagesn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The USC Trojans men's basketball team has been trying to figure things out on the court. The Trojans recently won their first ranked road game since 2010 vs. Illinois on Jan. 11. USC coach Eric Musselman has been trying to build a wall around the fertile Southern California recruiting grounds.

The Trojans flipped 2025 four-star forward Elzie Harrington, who hails from St. John Bosco in Southern California. USC is in pursuit for fellow California native Brayden Burries, who is one of the best players in the class of 2025.

Burries currently sits as the No. 11 player in the class of 2025 and No. 2 player in the state of California according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Jan 3, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Roosevelt High School (CA) guard Brayden Burries (5) against Sandra Day O’Connor High School (AZ) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Imagesn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Travis Branham of 247Sports spoke with Burries about his recruitment and where the Trojans sit.

"I talk to coach [Eric] Musselman and the staff a lot throughout the weeks. They're saying I would be the lead guard, they just got Elzie [Harrington] and we played together with Strive [For Greatness] so we have a connection there, so we will see," Burries told Branham.

Burries also said that he doesn't expect to wait too much longer to pull the trigger on a school and expects to make a decision within the next month.

"If anything it would be late January, maybe, but most likely February," Burries said.

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Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports wrote that Burries is the complete package and offers something special on the offensive end of the court.

"While he is focused primarily on scoring, Burries possesses soft hands, solid floor vision, and a reliable enough handle to have some on/off ball versatility. He is also an excellent rebounding guard. Defensively, he is fully engaged, physical, and competitive. Overall, Burries is a strong and physical scoring guard, who can get his buckets in a variety of ways," Finkelstein wrote.

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Jan 3, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Roosevelt High School (CA) guard Brayden Burries (5) against Sandra Day O’Connor High School (AZ) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Imagesn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If Burries does end up siding with the Trojans, he would become the highest rated prospect that Musselman brought into USC. He would join Harrington as well as fellow four-star prospect Jerry Easter in the Trojans' 2026 recruiting class.

Former USC coach Andy Enfield was known for bringing high-profile talent to USC, but Musselman has been making good progress to bringing the talent back to USC from the high school ranks. Musselman brought in two high school prospects in four-stars Jalen Shelley and Isaiah Elohim to his inaugural roster with the Trojans.

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Gabriel Duarte
GABRIEL DUARTE

Residing in Los Angeles, Gabriel Duarte is a senior at Cal State Northridge and is pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. Gabriel is passionate about college athletics and is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and Oregon Ducks on SI. Gabriel has covered many college sporting events around the Southern California area including basketball and football for USC. Gabriel also writes for his local newspaper on high school sports.