Trojans trio says it’s ready for the NBA

USC’s basketball team is expected to have an entirely different look next season, as forward DeMar DeRozan, forward Taj Gibson and guard Daniel Hackett have all decided to make themselves available for the NBA draft, according to multiple sources.

Hackett, a junior, will hire an agent, which will make his decision irrevocable, but Gibson, also a junior, will not, according to a source familiar with the USC program. The source asked for anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

DeRozan said he would also go without an agent for now. Gibson and DeRozan can pull their names out of draft consideration and return to USC.

Hackett’s departure is the most problematic for the Trojans, as it will leave them without an experienced point guard. That need could be filled quickly, as Lamont Jones from Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy is scheduled to visit USC this month, according to reports.

The 5-foot-11 Jones, considered one of the top point guards in the 2009 recruiting class, announced he took back his commitment from Virginia Tech last month. His interest in USC should only increase with Hackett’s departure. Jones could come in as a starter for the Trojans, who have sent five perimeter players to the NBA in Coach Tim Floyd’s four seasons.

DeRozan’s decision was hardly a surprise because of his family’s health issues. His mother, Diane DeRozan, suffers from lupus.

“Overall, I think I’m in a great position for the draft,” DeRozan said. “I’m also in a great position to do something for my family.”

The decision was a difficult one, said his father, Frank DeRozan: “DeMar was torn between going into the draft and staying at USC. He wants to stay, but his mom is real sick.”

DeRozan, a 6-foot-7 forward with tremendous leaping ability, is projected as high as 10th in the first round, according to some NBA mock drafts. He averaged 13.9 points in 35 games this season, helping the Trojans reach the second round of the NCAA tournament.

DeRozan became a more effective player in the half-court offense the last month of the season. He averaged 19 points in USC’s last seven games and was selected the most valuable player in the Pacific 10 Conference tournament, won by the Trojans.

“It all came after the last game,” DeMar DeRozan said of his decision. “I started thinking about how well I progressed this season.”

DeRozan said he is “50-50” on whether he would higher an agent. “I’ll know by the end of next week,” he said.

Floyd could not be reached for comment.

If DeRozan turns pro, he will be the third one-and-done player the Trojans have had in the last two seasons. O.J. Mayo and Davon Jefferson both left after their freshman seasons. Mayo, who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, is one of the NBA’s top rookies. Jefferson was not drafted.

Gibson, who is 6-9, finishes his three-year career as one of the top big men in USC history. He set a school record with 253 career blocked shots. He averaged 14 points and nine rebounds this season, and was 10 for 10 from the field in a victory over Boston College in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He is projected as a second-round pick.

The 6-5 Hackett improved his draft status throughout the season. NBA scouts viewed him as a combo-guard. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 assists this past season, and was a ferocious defender.

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chris.foster@latimes.com