It wasn’t long ago when Isaiah Elohim was a high school teammate of Bronny James. Fast forward a few years, and Elohim is poised to emerge as a star for John Jakus and the Florida Atlantic Owls. As he gears up for the second year of his collegiate career—his first with the Owls—Elohim is eager to make a significant impact.
Previously, Elohim represented the USC Trojans during the 2024-25 season, mainly contributing off the bench. Joining FAU this past offseason, he looks forward to creating solid chemistry with his new teammates and coaches while making some noise in the upcoming campaign.
“I feel very confident in us. I think we’re very versatile; I think we have a lot of depth in every position. You know, I think we can switch lineups, and we can do a lot with our squad, but I’m most definitely confident in us,” Elohim said during an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints.
### How Isaiah Elohim Played in High School and at USC
Isaiah Elohim rose to prominence at Sierra Canyon High School before committing to the USC Trojans for his freshman year. It was there that he had the opportunity to play alongside Bronny James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James.
As a senior in high school, Elohim averaged 12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game, standing out as one of the top prospects in the 2024 class. He earned a four-star ranking with a 93 score from 247Sports. Elohim was recognized as the ninth-best player in California, the 15th-best small forward, and the 69th-best player nationally in his class.
“I definitely think, like, iron sharpens iron. Competing against them just helped me sharpen my tools a little bit and just let me know what I needed to work on to be better. But it’s always been fun. And there’s that competitiveness that always drives you to do your best,” Elohim shared.
During his freshman year at USC, Elohim played sparingly, averaging just 5.8 minutes per game. Across 18 appearances, including one start, he averaged 2.1 points on an impressive 59.1% shooting from the field. His standout performance came against No. 7 Purdue on February 7, where he scored 11 points on perfect shooting in 15 minutes of action.
The Trojans finished the season with a 17-18 record and went 7-13 in their conference matchups. They earned an invitation to the first-ever College Basketball Crown tournament in April but were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Villanova Wildcats. Elohim did not participate in the tournament, entering the transfer portal on March 24 in search of a new opportunity.
Elohim attracted interest from several programs, including Baylor, Missouri, Florida State, and Arizona State, as reported by Sam Keyser. Ultimately, the belief that FAU head coach John Jakus and his staff showed in him convinced Elohim to bring his talents to Boca Raton.
“It really stood out when I was in the transfer portal, when I was obviously looking for a new home. They’re playing for me, and everything sounded just really good. And I felt comfortable as soon as they said some of the things they said,” Elohim explained.
### What Isaiah Elohim Is Looking Forward to at FAU
Transferring to FAU was a big decision for Isaiah Elohim, involving a move from a familiar California setting to a new environment in Florida. Fortunately, Elohim quickly felt comfortable in Boca Raton, which offers the surroundings he prefers both on and off the court.
Not having to worry about his environment allows Elohim to fully focus on his game. He intends to break out as a star for the Owls this season, showing just how much he’s grown over the summer.
“I think you guys are going to see how much I’ve developed as a scorer, as a creator, as a defender, just as everything. I feel like this is the most that I’ve developed in a really long time, and I just feel very confident in my game to help us win,” Elohim told ClutchPoints.
Head coach John Jakus shares an optimistic outlook on Elohim’s potential with the Owls. Aware of past injuries that sometimes held the young guard back, Jakus believes Elohim can shine in the team’s rotation this season.
“The better version, the healthy version of Isaiah, is what we were looking for. And these last two weeks, he has been every bit of that, and we’re really thankful for his growth. He’s friends with (assistant coach) Isaiah Austin and his family, so when he was looking for a restart, we were happy to do it,” Jakus said during the team’s media day on October 8.
“The same thing that (former FAU forward) Kaleb [Glenn] did last year, leaving Louisville after having been a former top-ranked player. We believe Isaiah will do the same thing. Sometimes you make the wrong choice as a freshman, but then you make the right one, and you find a home. He’s going to be an elite scorer and a really good player.”
### FAU’s Upcoming Schedule
The Owls will kick off their season at home, hosting their second-ever Power Five matchup against the Boston College Eagles on November 3 at 7 p.m. ET. Following that, FAU will compete in the annual Field of 68 event, facing Charleston on November 8 at 6 p.m. ET and Liberty on November 9 at 6 p.m. ET.
With Elohim joining the squad and Jakus’s confidence in his abilities, FAU fans have plenty to be excited about heading into the new season.
https://clutchpoints.com/exclusive/exclusive-bronny-james-ex-high-school-teammate-explain-transfer-usc-fau
