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2014 center Jabari Craig verbally commits to attend USC

craig

247Sports.com

With centers Omar Oraby and D.J. Haley out of eligibility at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season, the USC Trojans can use some more big men as they look to improve their standing within the Pac-12. On Thursday head coach Andy Enfield and his staff received a verbal commitment from 6-foot-10 center Jabari Craig, who becomes the Trojans’ third commitment in the 2014 class.

Craig joins power forward Malik Price-Martin and point guard Jordan McLaughlin in USC’s 2014 class, and each player plays a position in which the Trojans had a need for additional depth. Craig, who currently attends Fishburne Military Academy, took official visits to both USC and Arizona State last month. Craig attended Tucker High School in Georgia last year, where he averaged 8.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game.

“USC was a dream school for me. I always wanted to go to the school. I’ve been there, I’ve seen what it’s like,” Craig said on Fishburne’s athletic website. “They have everything to offer for me, and I have what they need.”

Outside of seniors Oraby and Haley (one-year transfer from VCU) the Trojans are young in the front court, with sophomores Strahinja Gavrilovic and Darion Clark (Charlotte transfer; will sit out the 2013-14 season per NCAA transfer rules) and freshman Nikola Jovanovic being the only players with eligiblity remaining after this season.

With that being the case both 2014 front court commitments should have the opportunity to compete for minutes as freshmen, and the same can be said for McLaughlin on the perimeter with USC losing Pe’Shon Howard and J.T. Terrell.

Here are a few highlights of Craig in action.

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