South Carolina Basketball's 2024-2025 Roster Breakdown:
Power Forward Collin Murray-Boyles
South Carolina basketball fans love Collin Murray-Boyles, and the freshman played so well last season that NBA scouts started to love him, too. Thankfully for the Gamecock faithful, the Columbia native decided to come back to school.
After he got into game shape following his battle with mononucleosis, CMB was a high-level starter in the SEC and tied the Gamecocks' all-time freshman single-game scoring record with 31 points against the Vanderbilt Commodores. He also averaged about 6 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal despite playing very few minutes in the non-conference slate thanks to his acclimation period after mono.
Murray-Boyles showed some nice shooting touch in the preseason, but his time away from basketball while sick caused Lamont Paris to instruct his young forward to focus on his inside game. If he can show that same shooting prowess as a sophomore, he will unlock a lot of things for the Gamecock offense.
As a defender, Murray-Boyles has the chance to be an SEC Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He has good bounce, and at 6'7" with long arms, he has enough size to be a good shot blocker with his elite athletic instincts. His quickness and strength allow him to switch better than most young forwards, and he will have times this season in which he guards all five positions.
Because the Gamecocks added Nick Pringle, Jordan Butler, and Okku Federiko, CMB shouldn't have to play very many minutes at center, something that had to happen far too often last season. As a power forward, Murray-Boyles gets to play his natural position and display more of his versatility than he would if he were relegated to the paint.
Perhaps no player on the roster is more pivotal to the Gamecocks' success in the 2024-2025 season, but there is plenty of reason to believe that he can deliver. If he can turn into somewhat of a threat from the perimeter, an All-SEC season is certainly on the table for Collin Murray-Boyles.