Over the last week, both the men’s and women’s basketball squads got upgrades at their guard positions in the transfer portal, earning commitments from junior guard KJ Lewis and sophomore guard Ryann Bennett, respectively.
Following big losses to the portal for Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad, such as Malia Samuels, Dayana Mendes, Vivian Iwuchukwu and two other forwards, Bennett will help fill the gaps. As for Head Coach Eric Musselman’s team, with the departure of Jordan Marsh, Jerry Easter and Amarion Dickerson, Lewis will already be a massive addition.
Lewis, a four-star portal recruit, spent last season with Georgetown and will join USC as his third team in four seasons.
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When he enters USC as a senior in the fall, he will bring a valuable veteran presence to a young team, even with the rumored departure of freshman guard Alijah Arenas. With the incoming recruits of five-star forward Christian Collins and four-star forward twins Adonis and Darius Ratliff, Lewis and junior guard Rodney Rice, who announced his intent to return, will be vital on and off the court for a young Trojan squad.
With the Hoyas, Lewis averaged 14.9 points on 40.8% shooting from the field and 30.5% from 3-point range. However, his defense remains one of his best attributes, averaging 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.
Lewis only played in 28 games after suffering a left ankle injury on Feb. 24 that left him sidelined for the end of the season, though he is projected to be healthy and start for the Trojans next season.
Before attending Georgetown, he spent two years with Arizona, where he played in nearly every game and provided a spark on defense. He entered the 2026 transfer portal as the 35th-best transfer and the fourth-best small forward, according to 247Sports.
Bennett started all 34 games for UC Davis last season, averaging 15.3 points on a 45.4% clip from the field and 32.1% from deep.
The guard spent two years with the Aggies and, like Lewis, was also a threat on defense, recording 1.6 steals per game in her second season. She also recorded 3.3 rebounds and four assists per game with UC Davis.
Bennett will reunite with fellow defensive whiz and sophomore guard Kennedy Smith, after the pair played together on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit with Cal Spark in Southern California in 2023, winning a Nike EYBL title. Smith even commented on Bennett’s Instagram post, saying, “ME AND BESTIE REUNITED.”
With the highly anticipated return of junior JuJu Watkins and incoming recruit Saniyah Hall, as well as freshman Jazzy Davidson and Smith, Bennett joins a highly touted group of guards and will likely be pushed to the bench. Still, Bennett will look to be a top option, thanks to her strong offensive and defensive skills.
The early transfer portal additions will aid both Trojan squads, which have already earned some buzz after being ranked on ESPN’s Way-Too-Early 2026-27 Top 25 ranking — the men at No. 17 and the women at No. 6.