"He should consider Duke as well”: Fans react as USC transfer Desmond Claude reportedly set to visit Florida amid UNC, Kansas and Virginia interest
The battle is heating up in the Desmond Claude sweepstakes. On3 reporter Joe Tipton shared Monday on Instagram that the USC transfer would be visiting Florida on Thursday.
Tipton further mentioned in his post that Claude is also reportedly considering North Carolina, Kansas and Virginia in the selection process. Claude, who is one of the top guards in the transfer portal, led the Trojans in scoring and assists in the 2024-25 season.
College hoops fans commented on Tipton's post and shared their thoughts as the search goes on for Claude's next team.
"Unc a good fit if coached right. He should consider Duke as well," one fan wrote.
"Saw him play against MSU, this dude is a certified bucket," another fan commented.
"BACK TO BACK AGAIN," a fan said.
"As a UNC fan, he should go to Virginia. We have plenty of forwards and FL and Kansas already have stars. At UVA he would be the best player on the team and a significant add for the ACC overall," one fan added.
"He is not a good three point shooter. He shot 30.7% last year, he'll have to play small forward," another fan said.
"If we get either Claude or Boogie, we can absolutely run this thing back," one fan commented.
The Florida Gators are looking to bolster their lineup after losing Denzel Aberdeen and Sam Alexis in the portal. Aberdeen transferred to Kentucky while Alexis moved to Indiana following the Gators' NCAA title win.
How Desmond Claude fared for USC Trojans in 2024-25 season
The USC Trojans failed to advance to the 2025 NCAA Tournament after finishing the regular season and the Big Ten Tournament with a 17-18 overall record. They finished 12th in the Big Ten Conference, posting a 7-13 slate.
The Trojans' poor record wasn't because of Desmond Claude, who produced solid numbers in his first season at USC. Claude, who previously played for Xavier, averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds through 33 games for USC in the 2024-25 season.
Claude led the Trojans in their Big Ten Tournament campaign, averaging 23.0 ppg, 5.0 apg and 2.5 rpg in games against Rutgers and Purdue.