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Isaiah White announces he'll play again for USC basketball in 2021-22

ryan kartje
·2 min read
Southern California guard Isaiah White celebrates after making a basket during the first half of a Sweet 16.
USC guard Isaiah White celebrates after making a basket against Oregon during the Trojans' Sweet 16 win in the NCAA tournament last month. White is returning to USC for the 2021-22 season. (Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

Its star 7-footer may now be gone, but another starter who helped key USC’s Elite Eight run is sticking with the Trojans.

Isaiah White announced via Instagram Friday he plans to take the NCAA up on its offer of an additional year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing him to play another season with the Trojans.

His decision came a few hours after freshman Evan Mobley announced his plans to declare for the NBA draft.

White is the second Trojan senior this week to declare his intent to return, following big man Chevez Goodwin, who announced Monday he’d come back to USC. Both played a single season as grad transfers at USC.

A transfer from Utah Valley, White quickly established himself as a boundless source of energy in the Trojans' lineup. He was a lively on-ball defender who could switch at will. White averaged just 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds, but he came alive on offense in key moments, often when teams sagged off the senior guard in three-point range.

As USC routed Kansas in the round of 32, White made the Jayhawks pay, hitting three of four threes to help spark the blowout. In its next game, the Sweet 16 win over Oregon, White exploded for a season-high 22 points on eight of 10 shooting, including four of five from behind the arc.

He may have to pick up more of the scoring load next season in the absence of Mobley, who declared for the draft a few hours before him on Friday. The Trojans also lost their second-leading scorer, point guard Tahj Eaddy, last week.

There’s one more decision still to come, as USC attempts to sort out a future without those top scorers. Isaiah Mobley isn’t currently expected to be drafted, but could still declare after an impressive run through the tournament during which he averaged 16 points and 6.5 rebounds over four games.

For now, USC can rest assured at least two starters from its Elite Eight run are set to return, joining new transfer guard Boogie Ellis, who left Memphis for USC earlier this week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.