Gamecocks men’s basketball adds 7-foot-1 commit Jason Cudd

Jason Cudd, a 7-foot-1 center out of Socastee, made his official visit to South Carolina over the weekend and Monday made his official decision with a commitment to Frank Martin. The commitment was confirmed by a source close to the team.

Cudd also considered offers from East Carolina and Tulane.

Cudd will officially be the fourth 7-footer in USC history, following Mike Brittain (1982-85), Danny Traylor (1971-73) and freshman Khadim Gueye. Jeff Roulston (1989-92) was listed at 7 feet but was really 6-11, according to former sports information director Brian Binette.

Cudd said after his visit that he liked everything he saw around the school and the program and felt he would be an excellent fit in Martin's scheme.

"They showed me how they use their big men and the style of play that they play," Cudd said. "I think it would be a great fit. They throw the ball inside a lot. They run the offense thru the big man."

Cudd is a developing big man who averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game last season. He's working on his game around the rim and in developing big-man moves. But he really likes to play like a small forward.

"He's a really good outside shooter," Socastee coach Derrick Hilton said. "He's active and runs the floor. He's a kid who wants to get better and we're trying to get him stronger. He's not bad close to the rim but he's not overly athletic. We've got to get him more active but he has a presence."

Cudd becomes the first Gamecock commitment for the 2017 class.

David Cloninger contributed to this report

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 12:49 PM with the headline "Gamecocks men’s basketball adds 7-foot-1 commit Jason Cudd."