Shaqquan Aaron will withdraw from the NBA draft and return to USC, Coach Andy Enfield said Wednesday, providing another boost to the resurgent program.
Aaron initially filed paperwork to enter the draft, though did not hire an agent, a step that allowed him to retain his college eligibility and return to the Trojans.
Wednesday night is the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw.
Aaron, a 6-foot-7 wing and Louisville transfer, will be a redshirt junior next season. He was one of two players from USC to formally declare for the draft. Forward Bennie Boatwright also opted to return last month after testing the waters.
Last offseason, Enfield’s staff saw six players with eligibility remaining depart, with two of them declaring for the draft and four others transferring.
This time, USC will bring back every underclassman, including Boatwright, its leading scorer, and forward Chimezie Metu, its leading rebounder who was named the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player of the Year.
The lone scholarship player to leave is Charles Buggs, a senior forward who struggled with knee injuries.
The Trojans are widely expected to be a preseason top-25 team to begin next season and also vie with Arizona and UCLA for the conference championship. They are coming off a record 26-win season, when they advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.
Aaron started 20 games last season, most of them while Boatwright was sidelined for two months with a sprained knee. His playing time ultimately decreased, averaging eight minutes in USC’s three NCAA Tournament games.
But he offers another scoring option after he averaged 7.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 21 minutes per game. The streaky shooter was named the Pac-12’s player of the week after scoring a career-high 23 points in a January upset of UCLA.
It was unlikely Aaron would have been selected in either of the two rounds. He was not invited to the NBA’s scouting combine in Chicago earlier this month.
But players who declare for the draft can receive feedback and work out for teams.
