South Carolina basketball recruiting target moves up in ESPN top-100

South Carolina basketball recruiting efforts have picked up significantly under Lamont Paris. Since Paris replaced former coach Frank Martin, the Gamecocks have recruited better than they had since the years before the Final Four team when Coach Martin brought in elite high school players like PJ Dozier and Sindarius Thornwell.

In the class of 2025, the Gamecocks already have three big-time commitments as Eli Ellis, EJ Walker, and Hayden Assemian all rated as 4-star prospects or have been rated as 4-star prospects at some point during their recruitment.

Zymicah "Mikey" Wilkins is another forward target for the Gamecocks, and he recently got a nice bump up in ESPN's recruiting rankings. The worldwide leader has Wilkins as the #54 overall prospect and the #7 power forward in the '25 cycle.He is rated as a 4-star by On3, 247Sports, and ESPN and as a 3-star recruit by Rivals.

Wilkins is a big-bodied power forward, but he isn't just a bruiser inside. His offensive game is one of skill and finesse as he has good feet for a young man his size. He can finish with either hand near the basket, has no problem knocking down mid-range jumpers (even off the dribble), and has enough ballhandling ability to get by most forwards even without possessing elite athleticism.

Recently, Lamont Paris was in North Carolina to check in on Wilkins. The window for in-person recruiting visits re-opened earlier this week, and Paris made sure to visit the 6'8" big man.

The South Carolina basketball recruiting class for 2025 already has two players pledged who can play the power forward position in Walker and Assemian. Paris' pursuit of Wilkins speaks to how much the Carolina coaching staff believes Wilkins can be a good player at the college level. Star sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles is likely in his last year as the NBA Draft will come calling next summer, and upperclassmen Nick Pringle and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk are in their final season of eligibility. With that expected turnover on the roster, the Gamecocks can take three post players this cycle.

Depending upon which outlet one checks, Wilkins could be the highest-rated prospect in the Gamecocks' 2025 class if he were to pick the South Carolina basketball program when he makes his college decision. None of the current Gamecock commitments are in ESPN's top-100, but Eli Ellis is in the top-100 for On3, 247Sports, and Rivals. Ellis and EJ Walker are ESPN 4-star prospects. Wilkins is a consensus top-125 recruit.

You can watch some of his film here.