Transfer of Reese Dixon-Waters might not be a bad thing (but let’s wait and see)
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We won’t tell you that the departure of Reese Dixon-Waters is definitely a good thing for USC. We won’t tell you it’s definitely a bad thing, either. We have to wait and see what Andy Enfield will do about it. We do, however, need to dive into the details of this situation to make sure the stakes and consequences are clear.
It’s true that we gave an early look at what next season’s roster might look like, and that we included Dixon-Waters in that profile. With another offseason of development, Reese Dixon-Waters could have been a really good depth piece on the wing, playing alongside Kobe Johnson and Tre White in a smaller lineup or in a rotation with those two players as part of a deeper lineup which would give Andy Enfield more combinations he can put on the floor.
There was definitely value to be found in keeping RDW on this roster. Losing him could be a problem.
However, this could be a gateway toward improvement for USC. RDW was a solid, decent, competent player, but he had not yet become a game-changer. The hope was that he would become a transformative player next season and give the Trojans the high-end scoring and shotmaking they need from the wings. This past season, RDW certainly did not max out. He made clear contributions to this team as the only reserve Enfield could truly count on. However, he was not an overwhelmingly dominant player. He averaged just under 10 points a game, and his shooting numbers were nothing special. He hit 29.6 percent of 3-pointers, not where USC needed him to be.
When we consider the fact that RDW is transferring, we can reasonably conclude that Dixon-Waters realized he would not get starter-level minutes on next season’s team, with Isaiah Collier coming in at point guard and Kobe Johnson and Tre White being expected to retain starter-level minutes in a lineup with Vince Iwuchukwu and maybe also Joshua Morgan. RDW might have arrived at the realization that he wasn’t going to get a big bump in playing time, and frankly, a junior-to-be should want to go someplace where he can play more minutes.
What else probably happened? We’re not certain of this, but it’s likely that Enfield had a conversation (exit interview?) with RDW and told him it would be challenging to get starter-level minutes, given that Kobe Johnson had a better season and Tre White has more upside. If Enfield did have that kind of conversation, it’s clear that the coach encouraged this transfer and is looking for a better shooter in the transfer portal to upgrade RDW’s position.
If Enfield does find a better 3-point shooter compared to RDW, and USC gets a depth piece on the perimeter with more shotmaking skill, the Trojans’ already-strong roster will get even stronger.
We will ultimately have to wait and see.
