Former Utah Forward Ezra Ausar To Transfer To USC
Apr 18, 2025, 4:25 PM | Updated: 5:03 pm
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) drives to the basket during the basketball game between the UCF Knights and the Utah Utes on February 23rd, 2025 at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah basketball forward Ezra Ausar has committed to Eric Musselman and the USC Trojans.
Ausar spent one season with Utah after transferring to the program from East Carolina. The junior forward averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
He becomes the third member of the 2024-25 squad to transfer elsewhere this portal window. Miro Little transferred to UC Santa Barbara, and Jake Wahlin transferred to Clemson.
NEWS: Utah guard Ezra Ausar plans to Enter the transfer portal he tells @TheAthleticCBB
He averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game pic.twitter.com/G6lHollQcK
— Tobias Bass (@tobias_bass) April 5, 2025
Ezra Ausar joins Eric Musselman’s USC squad
Ausar started his college career with East Carolina in 2022. After two seasons with the Pirates, he hit the portal and committed to Utah last summer.
Now, after a junior campaign with the Runnin’ Utes, he has landed in Los Angeles with the Trojans.
Ausar emerged as Utah’s best scoring threat this season. He was dominant at times, scoring inside and getting to the free throw line, but his limitations on the perimeter hindered the offense overall.
Utah’s retention focus started with Keanu Dawes
With Alex Jensen taking over, a lot was up in the air with the current roster. However, one thing became clear early on: Keanu Dawes emerged as the top priority.
Dawes’ emergence late in the season was one of the more exciting developments for the Runnin’ Utes. Dawes was super productive, notching multiple double-doubles, and showed the ability to score inside and out.
With Dawes looking like a prominent piece to Utah’s 2025-26 roster, Ausar’s fit would have been difficult.
Utah currently has a class of Elijah Moore, Kendyl Sanders, James Okonkwo, Terrence Brown, and Alvin Jackson. Those five will join Keanu Dawes and Ibi Traore, both current members of the program.
Setting the foundation: Utah’s culture starts with defense
Roster building is urgent—but culture is permanent. Jensen isn’t just recruiting players. He’s building a program, and that starts with identity. For Utah, that identity will start on the defensive end.
“I want to build something, I don’t want to build a new team every year, but build some continuity that way,” Alex Jensen said in an interview with NCAA reporter Andy Katz.
“Watching Houston make their run, Kelvin [Sampson] does such a good job, he gets his guys to play so hard,” Jensen shared. “That’s something the assistants I’ve hired talk about. That’s who we measure ourselves to and we’ve got to get kids that are tough like that and compete like them.”
In Jensen’s vision, the Runnin’ Utes will be a disciplined, gritty, tough, defensive-minded program. Think closeouts with purpose. Rotations with urgency. Contests without fouling. Utah isn’t going to outgun everyone—they’ll out-tough them.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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