South Carolina Basketball: 5 biggest “musts” entering the offseason
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Basketball Must Improve the Roster
For a team that tied the program record for most losses in a single season (21), this might seem like a “duh” type of thing to say. However, with Hayden Brown out of eligibility and GG Jackson likely heading to the NBA, the Gamecocks are losing two of their three most consistent offensive players from a team that already finished last in the conference in points per game and field goal percentage.
Arden Conyers is a local product who will join the team next season, and Collin Murray-Boyles is flying up the recruiting rankings as he prepares to enter the college game. Both players are combo forwards who can also play on the wing, a spot that the Gamecocks have a desperate need to fill as both Brown and Jackson played as combo forwards this past season. Murray-Boyles will probably be able to contribute immediately, but he will have adjustments to make as a freshman.
Because of this, the transfer portal will be crucial for Lamont Paris this offseason. An older player who can rebound and score down low would partner well with the team’s only returning rebounder in Josh Gray. Meechie Johnson and Jacobi Wright both improved a lot as combo guards, but they are the only two effective ball handlers on next year’s roster. Another perimeter player who can run the offense is needed if the Gamecocks are going to show growth offensively. If a shooting wing would like to join the program, Paris must find a way to add him to the roster as the only returning shooting on the team comes from smaller guards.