Former USC guard Desmond Claude has his choice of programs to play for. We take a look at three key programs that could use him.
Oregon, Tennessee, and Gonzaga In the Running for Desmond Claude
College basketball programs are jockeying for recruits to bolster their team this summer, and Desmond Claude is the key player they have their sights on. Ranked as the top player available in the transfer portal according to 247 Sports, Claude recently finished his junior year with the University of Southern California.
Before that, he played his first two years at Xavier University.
Tennessee and Oregon both reached out to USC transfer Desmond Claude today, source told @thefieldof68.
Claude also looking at Alabama and Gonzaga. SMU has also been in the mix.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 28, 2025
Claude is prized for his scoring ability and physical play driving to the basket. He’s also proved to be a dependable free-throw shooter and can easily serve up assists when needed. Top programs around the country have been reaching out, but there are three that stand a good chance of adding him.
Oregon
The Ducks view the 6”6, 201-pound guard as the piece that can help them go deep during March Madness.
He will bring consistent scoring ability (Claude averaged 15 points a game with the Trojans) to a squad that features former Texas Longhorns wing Devon Pryor, McDonald’s All-American Sean Stewart, and his brother, Miles Stewart. They will join the returning core of guard Jackson Shelstad, forward Kwame Evans Jr., and center Nate Bittle.
Tennessee
Rick Barnes’ Volunteers are eyeing Claude heavily, according to reporter Jeff Goldman who noted that the school reached out to him in addition to SEC rival Alabama in a post on X, formerly Twitter, last week.
They’re hoping Claude can bring his experience to bolster a Tennessee team that doesn’t have a lot of guard depth, but has some solid frontcourt presence exemplified in five-star freshman Nate Ament.
Gonzaga
Swinging back to the Pacific Northwest to join perennial Final Four favorites Gonzaga could be a move for Claude, with some reporting that they’re on his short list of schools. But he would be dealing with a heavy guard rotation already on the team with Steele Venters and Emmanuel Innocenti staking their backcourt claims.
KEEP READING: 2025 Men’s College Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
But Mark Pugh is a coach who is known for managing his players efficiently to maximize their talents, so Claude’s senior season could get them back on another deep March Madness run.
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