South Carolina Basketball: 5 biggest “musts” entering the offseason
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Basketball Must Improve Its Reputation In-State
Unfortunately, many in-state high school basketball programs do not have a high opinion of the University of South Carolina’s basketball program. Much of this stems from the previous Carolina coaching staff as Frank Martin’s abrasive style and impersonal recruiting efforts did not go over well in the Palmetto State.
Lamont Paris made a shrewd hire to his off-the-court staff to address this issue. Gamecock legend Carey Rich was hired as Special Assistant to the Head Coach with one main purpose: he was brought in to fix the program’s relationship with in-state schools, players, and coaches. Rich is well-respected in Columbia and around the state, so his efforts will be important moving forward.
Coach Paris and his staff must reverse the trend that has seen the Palmetto State hemorrhage its home-grown talent for years. For the program to consistently compete, the best players in South Carolina must end up at South Carolina.