USC men's basketball is only just beginning to grow and evolve

USC men's basketball has a loaded roster on paper, but what matters more than an accumulation of talent is getting all that talent to emerge. Chemistry is the key which unlocks potential. Eric Musselman talked to USC athletics about the need for leadership and for growth and evolution of the roster once all the players are on the court together.

"We're super excited with the leadership that Rodney Rice and Jacob Cofie have provided. Both of them have stepped up on the floor, but more importantly, they've stepped up from a leadership standpoint. That's been great to see," Musselman said. "As for Alijah Arenas' growth, he got a real taste of what it takes to be successful in the Big Ten last year, which was good for him because he could have spent last year in high school. Instead, he got the benefit of practicing, playing and observing Big Ten basketball, and he's much further ahead today than he would have been coming in as a freshman. He understands the expectations and our schemes, so we hope that it really benefits him. From an identity standpoint, we're far from creating an identity because we've practiced without Eric Reibe, KJ Lewis and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor. Our identity is going to be evolving all the way through November."

The familiar expression "greater than the sum of its parts" comes to mind with this USC team. Dynamic individual talents exist on the roster, but blending them into a cohesive five-as-one powerhouse is the true test for Eric Musselman. Knowing that key players haven't even joined the team yet (in terms of being able to practice on court with fellow Trojans) is exciting, because the growth of this team is only just beginning. Hopefully it will really take off once everyone is sharing the court.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC men's basketball is only just beginning to grow and evolve