USC’s basketball momentum continued on Tuesday as the Trojans landed a commitment from Kijani Wright, a five-star power forward in the 2022 class. Wright is ranked the No. 8 player in the class by the 247Sports Composite and chose the Trojans over Arkansas, Stanford and Texas to continue a recent trend of high-caliber frontcourt prospects choosing to stay in southern California to play for USC.
If Wright ultimately signs with USC, it will mark the fourth time in the last five signing classes that the Trojans have landed a five-star prospect. The recent recruiting success has propelled the Trojans forward under coach Andy Enfield, who is 47-17 over the last two seasons and coming off an Elite Eight appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Wright’s commitment follows the one-and-done tenure of star center Evan Mobley, who was selected third overall in the 2021 NBA Draft after ranking No. 3 overall in the 2020 recruiting class. His brother, Isaiah Mobley, was also a five-star signee in USC’s 2019 class along with fellow local prospect Onyeka Okongwu. Isaiah Mobley is expected to be a centerpiece for the Trojans as a junior next season, while Okongwu was selected No. 6 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Collectively, the Mobley brothers and Okongwu appear to have made USC a destination program for local big men as Wright prepares to follow in their footsteps. Wright played for the same AAU program as the Mobley brothers and Okongwu as he developed a reputation for voracious rebounding.
Here is the full scouting report on Wright from 247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jennings.
One of the best rebounders in the high school game, Wright is a physically gifted big man whose combination of strength, size, and IQ is unmatched in the west coast high school scene right now. Controlling the boards is a priority for him as he fully takes advantage of his massive frame and plays with great aggressiveness when battling inside. His shooting touch has evolved but needs continued work should he want to face consistently out to the arc. He is a high volume rebounder and smart player with good hands, footwork, and activity level who projects as a productive frontcourt force to be reckoned with for a winning program.
