South Carolina Basketball: Elite transfer portal target announces college choice

This offseason, South Carolina basketball lost both starting guards from their record-breaking 2023-2024 season. Point guard Ta'Lon Cooper exhausted the final year of his eligibility as an All-SEC player for the Gamecocks, and running mate Meechie Johnson (also an All-SEC selection) elected to hit the transfer portal and spend his final season of college ball back with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The two departures will be tough to overcome for the Gamecocks as both players could score, defend, and operate as facilitators within Lamont Paris' system, but the quickest way that Lamont Paris can do so is by finding veteran perimeter players in the transfer portal.

Paris and his staff have been involved in the transfer portal recruitment of several big-time guards in recent weeks, but as of now, the Gamecocks have not secured a commitment from a transfer portal player. Jordan Sears (UT-Martin) committed to LSU, Dakota Leffew (Mount St. Mary's) remains uncommitted, and JP Pegues (Furman) has not announced his decision.

That actually should read "JP Pegues (Furman) had not announced his decision," because on Friday, the dynamic point guard revealed his college choice. Unfortunately for South Carolina basketball fans, he did not pick the Gamecocks.

According to a report from On3's Joe Tipton, Pegues will be an Auburn Tiger next season, choosing Bruce Pearl's team over South Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma.

The Gamecocks will turn their attention back to Leffew and other transfer portal players to fill the void left by Cooper and Johnson. Even with experienced guard Jacobi Wright returning and reserve point guard Morris Ugusuk showing some flashes this season, USC will need to bring in at least one (maybe two) impact players at guard, particularly ones who can run the offense as the Gamecocks have several players who can play well on the wing.