South Carolina Basketball: Former Gamecock making most of first real NBA opportunity

Think back to the summer of 2018. The world looked a lot different then. Covid was not something most people had ever heard of, and Tom Brady still played for the New England Patriots. The now two-time defending champ Georgia Bulldogs football team had not won a national title since 1980, and Texas was most certainly not “back” (wait…that one is still the same). For the South Carolina basketball program, Frank Martin was the coach and a skinny Canadian kid named AJ Lawson reclassified from the 2019 class and enrolled at the University of South Carolina.

Lawson was an impact player immediately, despite being younger and thinner than almost everyone he played against in the SEC. In his three years as a Gamecock, Lawson had a very successful career in which he averaged about 15 points per game, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. When Chris Silva, Hassani Gravett, and Maik Kotsar were his running mates, the Gamecocks were on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament when a Lawson ankle injury ended their chances. Even the next year without Silva and Gravett, the Gamecocks were on the bubble thanks to Lawson.

He decided to enter the NBA Draft waters after the 2020-2021 season. Gamecock fans may remember how awful that season was, so it is understandable that Lawson decided to leave. Unfortunately for him, his first year as a professional didn’t see the 6’6″ wing make it out of the NBA’s G League. A new opportunity in Minnesota resulted in his first NBA action, but the Dallas Mavericks (who had Lawson in camp for summer league) saw enough in the second-year player to sign him to a 2-way contract when he was sent back down to the G League.

A little while into his Mavs career, Lawson’s team unofficially-officially decided to “tank” to get a better position in this summer’s NBA Draft. This meant that stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving (both guards) would not play much. This opened a door for Lawson. After not playing for over a month, Lawson was inserted into the rotation on Friday.

Lawson made the most of his opportunity, as he was one of the Maverick’s best players in a one-possession loss to the Chicago Bulls. In just 23 minutes, he scored 12 points on 5-9 shooting. He also made a couple of threes and pulled down six rebounds. He played solid defense, utilizing his length to bother opposing ball handlers, and he showcased some serious bounce with two big dunks.

As South Carolina basketball fans know, the sky is the limit for AJ Lawson. If given the chance, he will prove to be an NBA player who can contribute to winning basketball. He has athleticism, shooting ability, and length, and he is a willing defender. That sounds like an NBA wing.

A more in-depth look into Lawson and his potential with the Mavericks’ organization can be read at thesmokingcuban.com. Give author Noah Weber and thesmokingcuban.com a follow for more news of Lawson’s NBA journey.