South Carolina Basketball: Another college staffer seems to threaten Lamont Paris over recruiting battle

South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris put the finishing touches on the 2024-2025 version of the Gamecocks roster over the weekend. Completing a transfer portal recruiting "flip," the Gamecocks secured a commitment from former Norfolk State Spartan and MEAC Player of the Year Jamarii Thomas, landing a player who will help tremendously at the point guard position.

Thomas had been committed previously to the VCU Rams, but he did not sign with the A-10 program as he continued to be in contact with a few programs. Coach Paris' Gamecocks were among those programs, and, on Sunday, Thomas announced that he was committing to use his final year of eligibility with a South Carolina basketball team looking to make their second NCAA Tournament in a row.

Understandably, VCU fans weren't happy. In reality, "weren't happy" is an understatement as the Rams fanbase lost its collective mind online over the lost recruiting battle.

Fans of the VCU program accused Paris and the Gamecocks of "tampering," "cheating," and other baseless claims. Thomas had not signed any paperwork with the school, and NIL deals can be negotiated right now, so tampering would be an impossibility in this situation.

Unfortunately, the online tantrums didn't stop with the fans as VCU staffer Ahmad Thomas, the program's Coordinator of Player Personnel, seemed to threaten Lamont Paris online by commenting on Jamarii Thomas' Instagram commitment announcement, "Count your days Coach LP."

At a minimum, Ahmad Thomas has acted in a completely unprofessional way. Even if the comment should not have been taken seriously (and, likely, it shouldn't have been), sending a threat–or a comment that reads like a threat–over the internet because your team lost a recruiting battle (and posting the threat on a player's announcement post) is ridiculously unprofessional.

As a response to what he had posted, South Carolina basketball fans have shared their displeasure, but all Ahmad Thomas has done is go on a social media blocking spree without coming close to offering an apology.

Adding some additional insult to the situation for VCU, Jamarii Thomas signed his financial paperwork with the University of South Carolina, making the Gamecocks' recruiting win official. He will join the program with a legitimate shot at being the team's starting point guard next season.