USC basketball adds 7-footer from Russia for 2022-23 season

The USC basketball team has added even more size ahead of the 2022-23 season with 7-foot incoming freshman Iaroslav Niagu.

Niagu, who is originally from Krasnodar, Russia, comes to USC from the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia.

Niagu played for the U20 Russian National Team at the U20 FIBA European Challengers held in Munich, Germany in July 2021. Prior to that, he suited up for the U16 Russian National Team at the U16 European Championships held in Udine, Italy in July 2019. He averaged 12.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists 1.4 blocks as one of the youngest players in the tournament.

In July, he traveled to Atlanta for the fourth annual NBA Academy Games and helped lead the NBA Global Academy team to a second-place finish, posting a 20-point, 10-rebound effort along the way. During the 2022 NBA Academy Games he averaged 8.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 73.7 percent (14-19) from the free throw line over the course of six games.

Niagu joins a USC freshman class that also features 7-foot-1 five-star Vince Iwuchukwu, along with 6-foot-9 forward Kijani Wright, 6-foot-7 guard Tre White and 6-foot-5 guard Oziyah Sellers.