South Carolina Basketball: Transfer portal addition #3 fills another big need

With the offseason roster attrition leaving the South Carolina basketball team almost unrecognizable for the second offseason in a row, Gamecock Head Coach Lamont Paris has had to scour the transfer portal to replenish his roster. Carolina returns just five contributors from last year’s team, and just two (Meechie Johnson and Josh Gray) started more than half of last season’s games. Thanks to the portal, the Gamecocks have added two immediate impact veterans in guard Ta’Lon Cooper and forward Stephen Clark.

Now, on Monday, Carolina fans can make it three immediate impact veterans. Former Vanderbilt Commodore Myles Stute committed to Paris and the Gamecocks, addressing some big needs. The Gamecocks needed some shooting. Check. Stute shot 43.2% and 36.1% from deep the past two seasons. The Gamecocks needed another forward, preferably one who could play both small forward and power forward. Check. Stute is 6’7″ and 215 pounds and has three years of SEC experience as a combo forward.

Stute is not a big-time defender but has enough length to bother smaller players and can hold his own on that end of the floor. Even better, he will likely always have one or both of Josh Gray and Stephen Clark behind him as shot blockers, so his lack of swats shouldn’t be an issue for the Gamecocks.

The Washington DC native has struggled at times with his efficiency, especially inside the arc, but he brings some needed outside shooting to a team that didn’t have a good shooter taller than 6’2″ prior to his commitment. Stute is also capable of playing big minutes, as he was a usual starter for Jerry Stackhouse’s Vandy teams the past two seasons. He averaged 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in the 2022-2023 season and led the team in 3-point shots.

Stute has two years of eligibility remaining.

The Gamecocks are not done in the portal despite bringing in three transfers and two freshmen this offseason. With an NBA defection in GG Jackson, a graduate in Hayden Brown, four transfer portal departures, and an empty scholarship slot from last season, the Gamecocks still have two scholarships available.

Another wing player who can shoot and defend on the perimeter would be an ideal addition to this roster, but every team would like to bring in that type of player. “3-and-D” wings are among the most coveted archetypes in basketball, so finding one is difficult. The Gamecocks are still in the running for Wofford transfer forward BJ Mack, but the position is becoming a bit of a logjam. However, even though a bit crowded down low, Paris and company can’t afford to turn down a talented player like Mack, so if he wants to come, they will make it work.