South Carolina basketball: program set up for sustained recruiting success

South Carolina basketball’s 2021 class could begin a run of great recruiting for the Gamecocks.

Senior Jacobi Wright attends Legacy Charter School in Greenville, SC and could be the one of many recruits to choose Columbia as the next stop in continuing their basketball careers.

Wright, a 6’2 point guard, averaged 17 points and five assists per game in his junior season. A four-star recruit according to ESPN, he committed to the Gamecocks in June, choosing to play for the state’s flagship university over offers from the College of Charleston, DePaul, South Florida, and a handful of others.

Wright absolutely loves Frank Martin and his coaching staff and stated the following in an interview with The State:

"“They just kind of fit what I was looking for. A great coaching staff, great environment. I know some of the players there. Big arena and big conference. I get the exposure that I am looking for. It’s just somewhere where I feel comfortable.”"

The Gamecocks have also picked up a pledge from Devin Carter, a three star recruit from Florida who averaged 28 points and eight boards a game last year. Carter is the son of Anthony Carter, a 15-year NBA veteran and current assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

In an interview with TheBigSpur, Carter expressed why he loves the coaching staff, noting the similarities between the Frank Martin and his current high school coach.

"“My high school coach doesn’t let anything slide. You have to work for everything, nothing is given to you. They run things the right way; everything is organized. You work hard, do your things, take care of your business and just play. He’s honest and just all around exudes great character.”"

Wright and Carter are very talented players, with both having a chance to boost their recruiting ratings over their final seasons at the high school level, but the Gamecocks’ success on the recruiting trail may not stop there.

Wright and Carter could begin a run of highly rated recruits choosing the South Carolina basketball program.

Frank Martin and the Gamecocks made the top ten for four-star center John Butler, though he ultimately chose Florida State. South Carolina quickly replaced Butler with the commitment of forward Carlous Williams, a talented big man from the Magnolia State with offers from Baylor, Houston, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State.

The previously mentioned Devin Carter will play for Brewster Academy in his senior season alongside his hometown friend Zaire Wade, son of NBA legend Dwayne Wade.

According to this tweet from Anthony Yero, Wade and Carter had been trying to team up in Florida.

It’s interesting to see that the program has garnered interest from the sons of NBA greats, something that we’ve seen happening on the football team in recent years. Currently, the Gamecock roster includes the sons of Deion Sanders and Duce Staley. It would be fun to see the trend trickle over to basketball.

The Gamecock football team has also picked up pledges from five-star prospects in each of the last two recruiting classes, and recently received a commitment for the class of 2021 from five-star quarterback Gunner Stockton. We could see that recruiting momentum carry over to the South Carolina basketball program in the upcoming cycles, as the Gamecocks continue to target talented players around the country.