Even before getting his on-campus parking sticker, he already had provided some badly needed adhesive to the fractured roster he inherited.
On the eve of his introductory news conference, new USF men’s basketball coach Bryan Hodgson pulled off arguably the greatest recruiting coup of his inaugural season, convincing Bulls freshman backcourt catalyst CJ Brown to remain in Tampa even after a handful of prominent teammates had entered the NCAA transfer portal.
“That is a big deal, and it means the world to me, because we just met 48 hours ago,” Hodgson said in his first encounter with local media on March 28.
“(Brown) fielded hundreds of phone calls over the last several days, and ultimately his love for this university and this community led him back here. We’re having those conversations with the other young men who are in the portal, but I can assure you regardless of what happens there, we’re going to have a roster of really talented, humble and hungry young men that want to play for the South Florida Bulls.”
Barely three weeks later, that once-blighted roster brims with new names.
Since convincing Brown to stay on, Hodgson and his newly-minted staff have added three freshmen and five transfers, with more additions possible. The NCAA’s spring signing period for first-year players runs through May 21, and the spring portal window doesn’t formally close until Tuesday.
Perhaps the most notable newcomer is 6-foot-9 LSU transfer Daimion Collins, who spent his first two seasons at Kentucky before breaking through last season with the Tigers (8.0 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks). Once a five-star recruit, Collins was ranked the No. 15 overall prospect in the 2021 class, according to On3.com.
Joining Collins in the frontcourt is 6-foot-10 senior Izaiyah Nelson, who followed Hodgson from Arkansas State, where he averaged nearly a double double (10.6 points, 8.9 rebounds) for the 25-11 Red Wolves last season. The Red Wolves’ second-leading scorer, 6-5 guard Joseph Pinion (12.0 points per game) now also is in Tampa.
So is former James Madison guard Xavier Brown, who established career highs in scoring (10.7 points per game), rebounds (3.3) and assists (2.7) for a 20-win team last season. Another new Bulls guard, Wes Enis, averaged 20.3 points for NCAA Division II tournament qualifier Lincoln (Tennessee) Memorial last season, and ranked 27th among all Division II players in 3-point percentage (41.3).
The three freshmen — forwards Tristan Beckford and Onyx Nnani and guard Adriel Nyorha — all hail from Canada but attended various North American prep schools. Nnani, a 6-9 center who originally signed with Arkansas State, averaged 24.3 points and 9.2 rebounds for The Phelps School in Malvern, Pennsylvania last season.
USF roster additions
Via transfer portal
G Xavier Brown, 6-2, Sr., James Madison
F Daimion Collins, 6-9, R-Sr., LSU
G Wes Enis, 6-2, Jr., Lincoln (Tennessee) Memorial
F Izaiyah Nelson, 6-10, Sr., Arkansas State
G Joseph Pinion, 6-5, Sr., Arkansas State
Freshmen
F Tristan Beckford, 6-5, Fort Erie (Ontario, Canada)
F Onyx Nnani, 6-9, The Phelps School (Malvern, Pennsylvania)
G Adriel Nyorha, 6-5, Winston Salem (N.C.) Christian
• • •
Conclusion
This revamped roster for USF men’s basketball shows promise with key additions and returning players, reflecting Coach Hodgson’s commitment to building a strong team.
FAQs
Q: How many new additions were made to the USF men’s basketball roster?
A: Three freshmen and five transfers have been added, with more additions possible.
Q: Who is the notable newcomer in the USF men’s basketball team?
A: Daimion Collins, a 6-9 transfer from LSU, is considered the most notable newcomer to the team.
