USC freshman Kyle Sturdivant is entering the NCAA transfer portal

Freshman point guard Kyle Sturdivant, whose first and only season at USC was interrupted by the tragic death of his father, has entered the transfer portal.

USC coach Andy Enfield confirmed Sturdivant’s decision in a phone interview on Wednesday.

“It’s a very difficult family situation with his father’s passing,” Enfield said. “Kyle was a tremendous young man and will be a very good basketball player. We’ll miss him, but we understand. We wish him the best.”

Sturdivant, a four-star recruit out of Georgia, carved out a limited role as a backup point guard as a freshman, averaging two points over eight minutes per game.

USC Sports

USC standout Onyeka Okongwu declares for the NBA draft

Onyeka Okongwu, a former Chino Hills player and an All-Pac-12 first-team forward for USC, announced his intention to enter the NBA draft after one season in college.

March 25, 2020

In early February, a tragic accident claimed the life of his father, Gary, who had been living in Southern California to stay close to his son. Sturdivant heard the news while on the Trojans’ road trip through Arizona. He suited up to play a day later, making it through six minutes against Arizona State.

Sturdivant left for Georgia the next day and was away from the team for the next three weeks, before returning for the final stretch of a season that would ultimately be shortened.

Without him, USC could face a depth issue in its backcourt next season, with senior guards Jonah Mathews, Quinton Adlesh and Daniel Utomi already set to move on. The only experienced Trojan guards set to return are rising sophomore Ethan Anderson and rising junior Elijah Weaver.