The South Carolina men's basketball team is rebuilding, as head coach Lamont Paris is entering his fifth season. Before the Gamecocks tip-off the 2026-27 season in early November, Paris is also trying to make some major moves on the recruiting trail.
The Gamecocks are doing just that, as Paris is set to host elite power forward Chase Smith for an unofficial visit this upcoming weekend.
Source: Chase Smith, a four- star forward in the class of 2028, will take an unofficial visit to South Carolina this weekend. https://t.co/bordEpIWkP pic.twitter.com/0cG6rTgfJ9
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) September 29, 2026
Smith, who is a class of 2028 prospect, is from Charlotte, N.C., and plays out of Queen's Grant Academy. He is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 4 overall player from his home state of North Carolina. He is rated as the No. 10 overall power forward nationally, ranking No. 65 overall.
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According to Gamecock Central, he does not yet hold an offer from South Carolina, but one could be on its way soon during the visit. He has offers from several big-time programs, including Auburn, Cal, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, USC and Vanderbilt.
He is listed at 6-foot-8, 215 pounds. According to two seasons tracked by MaxPreps, Smith has averaged 14.5 points per game, including nine rebounds and 2.2 assists.
South Carolina does not yet have a verbal commit to its 2028 class just yet, so landing a player as talented as Smith would be a great first place to start. The Gamecocks will open the 2026-27 season at home on Nov. 3 against the Stetson Hatters.
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