​Two years ago, McKenzie Forbes stood out as a key contributor during USC women’s basketball infamous first Elite Eight run in three decades. Today, she has returned to the program in a fresh capacity, stepping into a role that leverages her experience and basketball acumen while she continues her professional career overseas. On Monday, USC announced that Forbes will join the team this summer as a player development assistant, a position she will hold for several months before heading to France to resume playing professionally.
“It’s been incredible to have Kenzie back with the program in an official capacity this summer as a player development assistant,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in a statement. “Kenzie has always been wise beyond her years in terms of her knowledge of the game, leadership, and ability to think and teach the game. There is so much basketball left for her to play as a pro, but to have her around our team this summer as she prepares to go overseas has been invaluable. She’s a resource for our players, she’s an extension of our staff, and she’s simply a natural winner who has helped us in emphasizing championship habits this summer.”
Forbes joined USC as a graduate transfer from Harvard ahead of the 2023-2024 campaign. In her lone season with the Trojans, she played a pivotal role in guiding the team to a Pac-12 Tournament title, where she earned tournament MVP honors, and to their first Elite Eight appearance since 1994. Her impact extended beyond play, contributing to a culture of resilience, leadership, and high-level preparation that underpinned USC’s postseason success.
After her standout season in Pasadena, Forbes was selected in the third round of the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. However, she was waived by the Sparks before the start of the regular season. Since then, Forbes has spent the past two years competing in various leagues around the world, including stints abroad in Australia, continuing to refine her game and stay connected to professional basketball.
During her time at USC, Forbes was teammates with Juju Watkins, who joined the program as a freshman while Forbes was still a veteran presence on the roster. Now, the two will reunite in a different capacity, with Forbes returning to campus as a staff member and mentor, guiding the next generation of Trojans while she navigates the next chapter of her professional career.
For USC, the addition of Forbes as a player development assistant signals a deliberate investment in leveraging former players’ experiences to bolster the program’s culture and growth trajectory. Forbes’ firsthand knowledge of the program’s standards, her proven competitive mentality, and her ability to teach and motivate can provide immediate value to current players as they pursue championships and continuous improvement. Her presence reinforces USC’s emphasis on cultivating championship habits off the court and in everyday practice, ensuring that the program remains committed to developing well-rounded, competitive student-athletes who can succeed at the highest levels.
This development comes at a moment when USC is actively enriching its staff with people who understand the program’s ethos and can translate success from the court to broader leadership and mentorship roles. Forbes’ summer stint as a player development assistant will serve as a bridge between her ongoing professional pursuits and the Trojans’ ongoing commitment to building a sustainable framework for excellence. As she prepares to go overseas, her temporary return to USC provides a unique blend of experiential insight and practical guidance for the players who will carry the program forward in the coming seasons.
In summary, McKenzie Forbes’ return to USC as a player development assistant underscores the program’s recognition of the value that former players bring to the bench. Her time with the team this summer will be about more than coaching drills; it will be about shaping the mindset, work ethic, and championship-oriented habits that define USC women’s basketball. As she resumes her professional career in France, Forbes will leave behind an imprint on the program, having helped to reinforce a standard of excellence that teammates, staff, and future generations can build upon. This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire and reflects Forbes’ renewed connection with USC as she embarks on the next phase of her basketball journey.