Jordan McLaughlin (Etiwanda, Calif./Etiwanda), the No. 18 player in the 2014 ESPN 100, committed to USC on Wednesday, choosing the Trojans over UCLA, Indiana and Kansas.
A year ago, the nation's No. 4 point guard seemed pegged for UCLA, but that changed after the Bruins fired Ben Howland.
McLaughlin should provide some much-needed momentum for the Trojans. With new coach Andy Enfield and an energetic young staff, USC is staking its claim on the local recruiting scene.
Originally, McLaughlin planned to visit the final four schools on his list, but USC put the full-court press on before he could take other trips.
McLaughlin was impressed with what he saw at USC, and he had an immediate connection with the staff.
"They're an up-and-coming program, and I feel I have a great rapport with the staff already," McLaughlin said. "In addition, they told me they would bring No. 11 out of retirement so I could wear it during my Trojan career. That definitely was a nice finishing touch on the visit."