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South Carolina Basketball – Projecting Next Season’s Starting Lineup

By Jacob Elsey

AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 22: Jermaine Couisnard #5 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives around Allen Flanigan #22 of the Auburn Tigers during the second half of the game at Auburn Arena on January 22, 2020 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 22: Jermaine Couisnard #5 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives around Allen Flanigan #22 of the Auburn Tigers during the second half of the game at Auburn Arena on January 22, 2020 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 22: Jair Bolden #52 of the South Carolina Gamecocks dribbles the ball during a college basketball game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on December 22, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 22: Jair Bolden #52 of the South Carolina Gamecocks dribbles the ball during a college basketball game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on December 22, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

South Carolina’s basketball team just finished up its season a few weeks ago, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next year.  Let’s take a look at what the Gamecocks lose, gain, and have returning in 2020. 

Frank Martin will lose two seniors from the last year’s basketball team in four-year starter Maik Kotsar and graduate transfer Micaiah Henry.  Kotsar was the Gamecocks’ most productive player, among the team’s leaders in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, assists and minutes played.  Henry played sparingly in his only season as a Gamecock after transferring from Tennessee Tech.

The Gamecocks will add two new big men to fill those roster spots with incoming freshmen Ja’von Benson and Patrick Iriel.  Benson projects as a power forward, while it looks like Iriel will play center.  Both played high school ball in Columbia.

South Carolina also welcomes former Top 50 recruit Seventh Woods who sat out last year after transferring from North Carolina.  Woods, a Columbia native, spurned the Gamecocks to sign with Roy Williams’ Tar Heels after high school.  Now, following a redshirt season, he returns home to play for Frank Martin.

The question still lurking is whether or not AJ Lawson will declare for the NBA Draft.  That question may remain unanswered through the end of April.  I personally believe that Lawson will return, so I’ve put him in these lineup projections, but should he turn pro, it could impact next year’s squad tremendously.

Here’s what Garnet and Cocky thinks the 2020-21 starting lineup will look like.

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