South Carolina Basketball: Team Award Predictions

Continuing on with our picks for South Carolina basketball’s best players in 2020.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR – Wildens Leveque

Last season the Gamecocks had quite a few players who were able to come off the bench and affect the game. This season, if South Carolina wants to make a real post-season push, it’ll need that same impact from its bench players.

I assume the starting lineup to consist of AJ Lawson, Jermaine Couisnard, Keyshawn Bryant, Justin Minaya, and Alonzo Frink, but that doesn’t mean that Leveque will remain on the sidelines.

After seeing nearly ten minutes of play last season, he should see an increase in action as a sophomore.  Leveque shot an efficient 60% from the field and really alleviated the center position whenever senior Maik Kotsar came out. He can greatly improve his minutes this season and be a great bench player for South Carolina.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Trae Hannibal

This Gamecock player was absolutely phenomenal in limited time as a freshman and this season he can really step up and become one of the most impactful guards on the roster.

Trae Hannibal is an incredibly talented and athletic guard that should see his opportunities continue to rise in 2020. Last season, he averaged 4.0 points, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals a contest. Despite limited minutes, his steal totals ranked third on the team. He will have a chance to improve in all phases of his game in his sophomore campaign.

Hannibal will likely get more touches as one of the top options off the bench. With another offseason in the program, look for Hannibal’s game to get even stronger next year.