South Carolina basketball: three questions for Gamecock hoops

The South Carolina basketball team is set to begin offseason workouts next Monday. What questions does coach Frank Martin need answered as players return to campus?

The South Carolina basketball team will report to campus this week, with offseason workouts set to start Monday, July 20th. The team returns the majority of last year’s core, with the only departures being that of graduating seniors Maik Kotsar and Micaiah Henry, as well as the transfer of guard Jair Bolden.

Though much is already known about the makeup of the Gamecock squad, there are certainly some questions that need to be answered as the offseason progresses. There have been adjustments to the staff, an incoming group of freshmen, and uncertainty surrounding the future of one of the team’s leaders.

Here are three questions for Gamecock hoopers as the season draws nearer.

1. AJ LAWSON’S NBA DECISION

AJ Lawson has been a consistent force on the South Carolina basketball team for the last two seasons. Both have resulted in him testing the NBA waters following the season’s end. Last year, he ultimately chose to return to Columbia, where he went on to lead the Gamecocks in scoring over the 2019-20 campaign.

Over the last two years, Lawson’s averaged 13.4 points per game on 41% shooting. He now finds himself mulling over a decision to either join this year’s NBA draft class or return for his junior season. After going through the process as a freshman, the Canadian started popping up on some mock draft boards, but unfortunately, didn’t progress as much in his sophomore stint as scouts would’ve liked. Now in his second go-round, Lawson will talk one-on-one with GMs to gain feedback on his game and find where he might fit into an NBA team’s future.

Most believe that the guard will be back in Columbia when all is said and done, but for now, he’s taking his opportunity to gain insight from professional organizations on how to go about his future. Should he return, he immediately makes the Carolina squad a potential NCAA tournament team. If not, the Gamecocks certainly have the talent to make a run, but they’ll face more of an uphill battle. Lawson has until August 3rd to make his final decision.

2. LIFE AFTER MAIK

Maik Kotsar had a stellar senior season, where he finished among the team’s top three performers in points scored, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Kotsar has since graduated, leaving a void for some young players to fill in the Gamecock frontcourt.

South Carolina will rely on junior Alanzo Frink, and sophomores Jalyn McCreary and Wildens Leveque to carry the load. Frink averaged 5.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last year. He scored a team-high 22 points in an overtime win versus Georgia in February.

McCreary and Leveque saw a little less action, but will be expected to step up as sophomores. McCreary showed his potential as a scorer at times last year, with control around the basket and a smooth left-handed shot. The 6’11” Leveque could become a rim protector and a force in Frank Martin’s hard-nosed defensive scheme. It will certainly take a group effort to match Kotsar’s production.

The Gamecocks also picked up a couple of newcomers in the latest recruiting class that could help fill minutes in the paint. Columbia products Ja’Von Benson and Patrick Iriel are long, athletic bigs that should see some playing time early in their careers. The two may need a season of development to adjust to a grueling SEC slate, but it will be interesting to see how they progress throughout their freshmen years.

3. HOW DOES WILL BAILEY FIT IN WITH COACHING STAFF?

Frank Martin hired Will Bailey to the Gamecock staff following the offseason retirement of longtime assistant coach Perry Clark. Bailey comes from a Saint Louis program that’s won 23 games in each of the last two years.

Bailey has also made coaching stops at respected mid-major programs La Salle and East Tennessee State. He was part of a La Salle coaching staff that saw the Explorers make the Sweet 16 in 2013.

As a player, he led the nation in assists during his sophomore season at Parkland Junior College, before moving on to UAB, where he led the Blazers to an NIT appearance in 1997. He will most likely oversee the Carolina guards, as he spent his college career running the point for both the Cobras and the Blazers.

His position group will consist of Jermaine Couisnard, Seventh Woods, Trae Hannibal, TJ Moss, and AJ Lawson, depending on his previously mentioned NBA decision. This is by far the deepest, most talented group on the roster. It will be interesting to see if the players mesh with coach Bailey’s teaching style and continue to progress as their college careers move forward.

The biggest test may be that of senior transfer Seventh Woods, who struggled a bit while at UNC, but who’s still immensely talented. He projects to play a ton of minutes for the Gamecocks next year, and Bailey’s ability to prepare the former five-star prospect after sitting out the 2019-20 campaign could make a huge difference in the success of South Carolina’s season.