South Carolina basketball: Tre-Vaughn Minott commits to Gamecocks
By Jacob Elsey
South Carolina basketball adds talented big man.
Early Friday morning, Frank Martin and the South Carolina basketball team added the commitment of 6-foot-11 center Tre-Vaughn Minott, who’s played for both the National Preparatory Association in Canada, and the NBA Academy in Mexico. The National Prep Association is the same program that produced Gamecock guard AJ Lawson.
South Carolina assistant coach Chuck Martin was his primary recruiter.
Minott chose the Gameocks over an offer from Providence. He was also garnering serious interest from Arizona State, Butler, Clemson, and New Mexico.
Originally slated to be a part of the 2020 class, Minott opted to reclassify to the class of 2021. The big man plans to enroll for the spring semester, and will be eligible to play immediately upon arriving to campus. That means he’ll be available for the Gamecocks this season, as the team navigates through its conference schedule.
Due to the fact that incoming freshman Patrick Iriel decided to leave the program in August, Minott can go on scholarship right away. He also won’t lose a year of playing time due to the NCAA’s removal of eligibility restrictions amid the COVID pandemic.
The Gamecocks currently have only one true center on the roster in Wildens Leveque, though forwards Jalyn McCreary, Alanzo Frink, and Ja’von Benson fill in down low, too. Leveque has come on strong in his sophomore season, averaging 5.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He’s been great at cleaning up the offensive glass and giving the Gamecocks second chance opportunities, but South Carolina will definitely welcome the added depth.
Just how much Minott will factor in this year has yet to be seen, but he could develop into a key contributor down the road for Frank Martin.