South Carolina Basketball: Gamecocks make top-6 for 4-star guard

South Carolina basketball is in the game for a number of high-level prospects in the class of 2024, especially on the perimeter.

One of the guards Gamecock head coach Lamont Paris and his staff are focusing on is Elijah Crawford. Crawford has spent some time in-state at Legacy Early College in Greenville, South Carolina but recently transferred to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. Crawford is from Augusta, Georgia, and he attended Augusta Christian before moving on to Legacy Early College.

On Thursday, Crawford announced his top-6 schools, and South Carolina basketball made the cut.

Crawford’s top-6 includes South Carolina, Georgia, Stanford, LSU, Mississippi State, and UCF. He grew up as a Georgia fan, but he appears to be considering all six of his finalists pretty seriously.

He is a 4-star point guard prospect according to ESPN and a 3-star recruit at the position according to On3, 247Sports, and Rivals. He was previously a 4-star player ranked in the top-60 by On3.

As a player, Crawford can play either guard spot but is comfortable enough with the ball in his hands to play the point at the next level. He has the chance to develop into a very good shooter in college, and he has confidence in his shot.

Crawford is a good athlete and, at 6’2″, he will be able to hold up against most point guards and shooting guards on defense at the college level, especially as he continues to get physically stronger. He has the potential to be an impact player on that end of the floor.

His athleticism also comes into play when breaking down the defense. Solid ballhandling skills and an aggressive “attack first” mentality allow him to get into the lane for efficient floaters and lay-up opportunities. He prefers to score the basketball, but Crawford can create for his teammates, as well.

You can watch some of his film here.