It was just 4 minutes -- enough time to grab a rebound and get off one shot -- but for USC freshman Drake London it was the realization of a goal that has driven him year-round for some time now.
By making his USC basketball debut on Sunday late in the loss at Washington, London -- the emerging star wide receiver -- officially became a two-sport athlete in the Trojans record books.
"Surreal, dream come true. I mean, I've always dreamt of wearing a basketball jersey for 'SC and a football jersey for 'SC, and I've accomplished that so far. But we're not done," he said after practice earlier this week.
Indeed, London is only getting started.
He wasn't able to join the basketball team for practices until after competing with the football team in the Holiday Bowl -- where he caught his fifth touchdown of the season -- and so he has a lot of catching up to do on the court.
But he's no novelty act when it comes to basketball. London was rated a 4-star prospect in both sports and had a number of schools offering him as a two-sport athlete. In fact, it was Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett who got the ball rolling in that direction while recruiting London for his on-court talents before looping in the Cavaliers' football staff as well.
"Drake just looked good in practice today -- very physical, gifted athlete, high IQ. We said if he was a basketball player instead of football player, he was a top 100 recruit in high school and he would play a lot of minutes for us," USC basketball coach Andy Enfield said Tuesday. "Now, he's way behind, he doesn't know our plays yet, he doesn't know the concepts defensively, but he's such a smart kid and a hard worker that I'm sure he'll pick it up quickly."
The adjectives flow freely when asking about London and his basketball potential.
"Just a monster -- super athletic. Takes what he does in football to the basketball court. Athletic, monster, can rebound, strong, very skilled offensively as well," senior guard Jonah Mathews said of his first impressions.
London himself used the words "intensity" and "aggressiveness" when asked what he thought he could bring to the Trojans on the court.
First, as Enfield said, he has to learn what his fellow freshmen spent the summer and fall picking up.
"Today we were walking through it a little bit and then I finally got to run it full speed today, so a couple weeks or maybe a week or so and then I'll start to click [with it]," London said.
"It's a little bit different. For football, you've got a route on this play and that's your route, but in basketball you can end up in so many different positions that you've got to know a lot."
The Trojans might just need him the rest of the way, as well. USC is 12-3 overall and 1-1 in Pac-12 play, but the start of the conference slate has shown a team lacking reliable secondary scoring options behind star freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu.
The scouting report on London, a 6-foot-5 guard, coming out of nearby Moorpark High School was that his shooting was still developing, so he may not be able to make a major difference in that obvious area of need for the Trojans. But he dazzled on the court in high school with his all-around skill and abilities.
He acknowledged in addition to learning the plays, he's also adjusting to the constant pace of basketball vs. the stop-and-go nature of football. But considering London exceeded most all expectations this fall while catching 39 passes for 567 yards and touchdowns in each of his final five games, there's no telling what he'll be able to manage over the final two months of this basketball season.
He and his family explained last summer prior to his arrival at USC that the plan is not necessarily to play both sports during his entire time with the Trojans. He simply didn't know which path best served his professional ambitions and needed more time to figure that out. He then reiterated late in the football season that nothing had changed in that regard until he could see what he was capable of as a college basketball player -- even a part-time one.
"It's always fun to switch it up. I've been doing it for so long, it gives me a little breather from the football side," he said this week.
"Obviously I like the physicality of football and also I like with basketball the finesse, and you've got to be really kind of very skilled to play the sport."
That, he is. Whether there's enough time to position himself to show it in games remains the only question.
As for his present limited role -- coming off being in the spotlight this fall and before that being one of the top basketball players in the area in the high school ranks -- London said he's perfectly fine with the situation and simply enjoying it as it comes.
"To be honest, it's not really that tough. My parents have done a good job raising me to where if it's not there you've just got to put your nose in the dirt and grind," he said. "And in BTI, when I used to play with them, I wasn't the leader. I had [2020 5-star] Ziaire Williams, Jordan Jones (now at Cornell), Dexter [Akanno] whose at Marquette. I understand the role that I'm playing right now and I'm perfectly fine with it."
