South Carolina basketball pledge transferring to play with future Gamecock teammate

South Carolina basketball commitment Hayden Assemian was the team's first pledge in the class of 2025. The athletic power forward is heading into his senior year and has accomplished a lot at the high school level already.

Assemian is the all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots at Powdersville High School, and he led his Patriots squad to their first-ever state championship title. However, his final year of prep ball will be played elsewhere.

According to a social media announcement made by Assemian late on Monday, he will play his senior season with the YNG Dreamerz Overtime Elite team in North Carolina. If that team name sounds familiar to South Carolina basketball fans, it is because fellow Gamecock commitment Eli Ellis is the squad's best player and was Overtime Elite's MVP last season.

Listed at 6'8" and 235 pounds, Assemian is strong and athletic in the post. He is aggressive, too, routinely throwing down rim-rattling dunks and throwing opponents' shot attempts into the stands for emphatic blocked shots. He also has enough ball handling ability to get to the basket.

Playing alongside Ellis should give the two future Gamecocks the opportunity to develop some chemistry before they become college teammates. Assemian's size and athleticism gives Overtime Elite's point guard a real lob threat and pick-and-roll partner.

The biggest "hole" in Assemian's offensive game so far has been his ability to make jump shots (though, that is improving). Overtime Elite encourages all of their players to become comfortable shooters, and Ellis is one of the very best shooters in the country; Assemian's decision to transfer should lead him to becoming a better shot-maker away from the basket, thus, making him that much more dangerous as a scorer.

The Assemian and Ellis team-up gives the YNG Dreamerz arguably the best roster in all of Overtime Elite and, hopefully, will give the South Carolina basketball commitments plenty of opportunities to show the world just a glimpse of what they can accomplish together in Columbia.

You can watch some of his film here.