It may have been a bit more expensive and a lot later than initially intended, but USC basketball picked up a huge piece from the transfer portal for a big price tag.
On Tuesday, the Trojans secured a commitment from Maryland transfer guard Rodney Rice, beating out a big-name program like Tennessee. Rice entered the transfer portal after a stellar year at Maryland that saw him average 13.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range. He was a part of a mass exodus for the Terrapins after head coach Kevin Willard left to take up the job at Villanova.
Rice was ranked as the 18th-best player to enter the transfer portal by ESPN's Jeff Borzello and, at the time of his commitment to the Trojans, was the fifth-best uncommitted player in the portal.
Following Willard to Villanova or staying at Maryland would have given Rice a bigger role, and going to Tennessee to play for Rick Barnes would have maximized the potential to compete for a national championship, but in picking USC, Rice may have made the most lucrative decision.
Shortly after Rice's commitment, USC guard Desmond Claude entered the transfer portal, though it's not known if Rice's arrival impacted that decision.
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"Eric Musselman landed a slew of frontcourt players in the opening weeks of the portal, but there was a desperate need for a high-level scorer and shooter like Rice," Borzello said. "With Desmond Claude's departure hours before the portal closed, he might need to take on a bigger playmaking role as well."
CBS Sports' Matt Norlander reported that Rice was demanding around $3 million in the transfer portal, a figure that was sure to put off other programs interested in adding a top 3-and-D option.
Having proven himself in the Big Ten, Rice makes himself a key player for Eric Musselman as the head coach enters his second year in Los Angeles.
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