Top shot-blocking transfer Joshua Morgan picks USC
One of the premier big man prospects available within the Transfer Portal this spring, Long Beach State freshman Joshua Morgan has found a new home for his college career. Morgan, a product of Sacramento, California, committed to USC on Friday.
“I had already had a pretty good feel for USC being that I played at their house this year so I experienced it firsthand, their environment and their team,” Morgan told Rivals.com. “Talking with Coach (Andy) Enfield about his program and how he developed his players, especially at my position, was a big reason I decided to go there. It is also Los Angeles so it is not far from my home, either.”
A former Rivals150 prospect from the graduating 2019 class, Morgan chose USC over a collection of other west coast powers including Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, San Diego State and UCLA. He becomes the Trojans’ fourth transfer commitment this offseason but the first coming in the sit-out variety.
Morgan leaves the Long Beach State program after averaging 8.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a freshman, while making over 62-percent of his shots from the floor. However, it is his presence on the defensive end that makes him so valuable. He averaged 2.5 blocks per game and was among the top-20 in shots blocked in America. In a non-conference contest with USC last year, he finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four blocks in a losing effort.
He enters the Pac 12 program with three years of eligibility remaining and will see his career begin again with the 2021-2022 season. Morgan is potentially the replacement for incoming five-star center Evan Mobley who will likely leave after his lone season next year. The Trojans sit with the second ranked 2021 class thanks to the commitments of Harrison Hornery, Reese Dixon-Waters and Malik Thomas, all of whom will begin their college careers at USC alongside Morgan a year from now.