A Look at Next Year's (Potential) Squad

[Gary]

Most college players dream of the riches of the NBA.  Few will realize that dream.   I'd be very surprised if Couisnard, Bryant, or Lawson ever get there.  But, you can't blame them for dreaming.  

 

[doublea1971]

Updates today from Rivals150 for rankings of the incoming players (Freshmen signees):

• Devin Carter is now the No. 88 overall player in the 2021 class, and is now showing a four star rating.
  
• Jacobi Wright moved up 10 spots to No. 111. 
  

Carter has seen his value rise quite a bit through his play, going from unranked at the end of last season to being a top 100 player in the class and getting bumped up to a four star. Per a Rivals article, Carter is now the highest-rated signee since PJ Dozier (#37) in 2016, and the Gamecocks first top 100 prospect since they signed Sedee Keita (No. 90) in the 2016 class.

 

[ConwayGamecock]

So here is the roster from last season, their collegiate stats last season, their current status, and new additions for next season (2021-22):

6-2 G Seventh Woods (RS Sr.) -Transfer out - 18 gms/13 sts, 5.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.1 spg

6-6 F Justin Minaya (RS-Jr.) - Transfer out - 20 gms/19 sts - 7.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.8 bpg

6-6 G AJ Lawson (Jr.) - NBA - 21 gms/21 sts, 16.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.5 spg

6-4 G TJ Moss (RS-So.) - Transfer out - 18 gms/5 sts, 4.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 spg

6-6 F Trey Anderson (So.) - Transfer out - 13 gms/1 sts, 2.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.2 spg

6-8 F Jalyn McCreary (So.) - Transfer out (S. Florida) - 17 gms/1 sts, 5.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.3 apg, 1.1 bpg

6-3 G Trae Hannibal (So.) - Transfer out - 20 gms/0 sts, 6.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg

6-7 F Ja'Von Benson (Fr.) - 3 gms/0 sts, 2.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.3 bpg

6-9 C Tre-Vaughn Minott (Fr.) - 8 gms/3 sts, 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.5 bpg

6-10 F/C Wildens Leveque (So.) - 21 gms/15 sts, 6.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.6 bpg

6-2 G Mike Green (So.) - 5 gms/0 sts, 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.4 spg

6-3 G Ford Cooper Jr. (So.) - 1 gms/0 sts, 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.0 spg

6-4 G Jermaine Couisnard (RS So.) - 17 gms/14 sts, 10.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.3 spg

6-6 F Keyshawn Bryant (Jr.) - 18 gms/8 sts, 14.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.3 spg

6-8 F Alanzo Frink (Jr.) - 3 gms/3 sts, 3.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.3 bpg

6-7 F Nathan Nelson (Jr.) - 15 gms/2 sts, 1.7 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.3 spg

6-7 F AJ Wilson (RS-Sr.) - Transfer in (George Mason) - 21 gms/20 sts, 7.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 apg, 2.2 bpg

6-4 G James Reese (Sr.) - Transfer in (North Texas) - 28 gms/28 sts, 10.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.5 spg

6-4 G Erik Stevenson (Jr.) - Transfer in (Washington) - 26 gms/23 sts, 9.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg

6-2 G Chico Carter, Jr. (So.) - Transfer in (Murray State) - 26 gms/9 sts, 12.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.1 spg

6-5 G/F Brandon Martin (Jr.) - Transfer in (USC Upstate) - 3 gms/0 sts, 1.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.7 spg

6-4 G Devin Carter - Incoming Freshman - 4*, #1 SC prospect, #6 overall Combo Guard

6-2 G Jacobi Wright - Incoming Freshman - 3*, #5 SC prospect, #9 overall Combo Guard

6-7 F TaQuan Woodley - Incoming Freshman - 3*, #6 NJ prospect, #49 overall Power Forward

SO, a good bit of just about everything. I count 6 returning scholarship players, 5 transfers, and 3 incoming freshmen. That's 14 total - I would guess that Brandon will be a walk-on? If the other walk-ons return, adding Brandon would be a total of 4 walk-ons and a total roster of 17 players.

I like the transfers in that all minus Brandon had extensive starts and playing time for their previous teams: we didn't necessarily bring in a bunch of bench warmers from their past programs looking for playing time but not really having experience at the college level beyond pre-game warmups.

We had another commit in 6-6 Mississippi prospect Carlous Williams, but he never signed with the team and I can't think he will be a part of it now......

 

[markymark550]

[COLOR= rgb( var(--theme-text_color) )]We had another commit in 6-6 Mississippi prospect Carlous Williams, but he never signed with the team and I can't think he will be a part of it now......[/COLOR]

The last I saw (about a month ago) on Carlous Williams is that there's a question of whether or not he will qualify. Indications were that he is still a take if he does qualify. If he doesn't, he's most likely going to a prep school next year.

 

[ConwayGamecock]

The last I saw (about a month ago) on Carlous Williams is that there's a question of whether or not he will qualify. Indications were that he is still a take if he does qualify. If he doesn't, he's most likely going to a prep school next year.

Based on my above post of players on next season's roster, we will already have a full 13 scholarship players without Williams. That's assuming transfer Brandon Martin will be a part of the team as a walk-on. Someone else will have to move on to make room for Williams.....

 

[markymark550]

Based on my above post of players on next season's roster, we will already have a full 13 scholarship players without Williams. That's assuming transfer Brandon Martin will be a part of the team as a walk-on. Someone else will have to move on to make room for Williams.....

True, but again that was a month, maybe more ago when the roster was more in flux with the status of Lawson, Bryant, and Couisnard up in the air. He should know if he qualified by now, so my guess is that he didn't and is looking at prep schools. That's completely a WAG and for all I know he could be looking at other colleges.