The 1997 Gamecocks title team: Where are they now?
PLAYERS
00 NATE WILBOURNE, senior center
Where is he now?: Greenville. Founder/CEO, Precision Genetics, and works with Endo/Bath and Questis Health.
1996-97 statistics: 5.6 points, 3.2 rebounds while starting three of 30 games. He blocked six shots.
After ’97: Wilbourne played overseas and then got into sales for Stryker Communications. He moved on to TRUMPF Medical Systems as Vice President of Sales, then on to a VP position at Telemetry Labs. He’s been in medical sales since 2008 and specializes in medical devices, diagnostics, orthopedic equipment and healthcare solutions.
3 BJ McKIE, sophomore guard
Where is he now?: Charleston. Associate head coach, Charleston Southern.
1996-97 statistics: 17.4 points, 3.9 rebounds while starting 29 of 32 games. He had 86 assists, 41 steals and shot 40.3 percent from the 3-point line.
After ’97: McKie finished his career as the Gamecocks’ leading career scorer (2,119) and one of only two USC players to be a three-time AP first-team All-SEC selection. His jersey number was retired in 2005. After a lengthy playing career with the Continental Basketball Association, NBA Development League and overseas, McKie joined the CSU staff. His son, Justin McKie, is a senior for this year’s USC squad.
4 LARRY DAVIS, senior guard
Where is he now?: Harrisonburg, Va. Director of Basketball Operations, James Madison.
1996-97 statistics: 16.0 points, 4.1 rebounds while starting 31 of 32 games. He had 70 assists, 57 steals, 13 blocks, shot 37.9 percent from the 3-point line and 80.4 percent from the free-throw line.
After ’97: A first-team All-SEC selection as a senior, Davis went on to a seven-year career overseas. He served seven years as an assistant at a North Carolina high school before becoming head coach at Lewisville High, which he led to a state championship. He then moved on to Northwestern High, where he accumulated the most single-season wins in school history. He spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach at Newberry College.
10 MELVIN WATSON, junior guard
Where is he now?: Rock Hill. Head coach, South Pointe High.
1996-97 statistics: 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds while starting 29 of 31 games. He had 157 assists, 57 steals and five blocks.
After ’97: First-team All-SEC as a junior and second-team as a senior, Watson played six years overseas. A severe knee injury ended his career and he began thinking of starting a camp to train young players. On a visit to South Pointe with Eddie Fogler to see the gym and facilities, former Stallions coach Dwayne Hartsoe offered him an assistant job. Fogler convinced Watson to take it.
20 WILLIAM GALLMAN, sophomore forward
Where is he now?: Rock Hill. Manager, HH Gregg.
1996-97 statistics: 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds while starting 22 of 29 games. He had 17 blocks and 11 steals.
After ’97: Gallman played overseas and then dabbled in several businesses around his native Chester.
21 BUD JOHNSON, sophomore center
Where is he now?: Columbia. Owner/operator of LBJ Transport.
1996-97 statistics: 2.6 points, 3.7 rebounds while starting 11 of 32 games. He had 20 blocks.
After ’97: Johnson played overseas before returning to Columbia and opening his own trucking business. He drives freight all over the country.
24 GEORGE FORMANEK, senior center
Where is he now?: Czech Republic.
1996-97 statistics: Didn’t play as a redshirt.
After ’97: Formanek finished his career at USC with another NCAA Tournament trip and then had a lengthy career playing overseas.
53 ARTHUR CARLISLE, sophomore forward
Where is he now?: Goose Creek. Contractor for Homeland Security.
1996-97 statistics: 3.5 points, 3.3 rebounds while starting two of 32 games. He had 17 assists, 11 steals and five blocks.
After ’97: Carlisle transferred to S.C. State after the Fall 1997 semester. He played 51 games for the Bulldogs over two seasons, averaging 7.1 points per game as a senior and playing in the 2000 NCAA tournament. A couple of pro tryouts didn’t yield anything. He was a supervisor for Performance Team, helping place orders and inventory for Gap, Old Navy and other clothing stores, before his current position.
54 RYAN STACK, junior forward
Where is he now?: Nashville, Tenn. Manager, Nashville branch of Waste Industries.
1996-97 statistics: 6.2 points, 4.3 rebounds while starting 28 of 31 games. He had 27 assists, 19 steals and 52 blocks while shooting 37.7 percent from the 3-point line.
After ’97: That team’s only drafted player, Stack went to Cleveland with the 19th pick of the 1998 second round. He played 43 games over two seasons, then had a 10-year career overseas. He had his own business with former Gamecock Jimmy Collins before getting an opportunity he couldn’t pass up with Waste Industries.
13 HAGEN ROUSE, redshirt freshman guard
Where is he now?: Greenville. Owner, GIMMEDAT apparel.
1996-97 statistics: 0.9 points, 0.5 rebounds while starting two of 25 games. He had 20 assists.
After ’97: Rouse gave up his fifth year of eligibility after “doing what he wanted to do,” graduated and entered banking. He was at Carolina First for two years before opening two basketball training academies at Greenville’s Donaldson Career Center, then founded GIMMEDAT, which creates and sells athletic/outdoor apparel.
14 HERBERT LEE DAVIS, freshman guard
Where is he now?: Columbia. Founder, Hoop City Academy
1996-97 statistics: 3.8 points, 1.3 rebounds while starting two of 32 games. He had 22 assists and 14 steals.
After ’97: Davis played two years overseas, then returned to the Midlands for medical sales. He founded Hoop City Academy in Columbia, aimed at helping develop basketball skills for players aged 5-18. They also train professional athletes.
35 ANTONIO GRANT, freshman forward
Where is he now?: North Augusta. Founder, DRILL (Developing Responsible Intellectuals Loving Life) Team CSRA.
1996-97 statistics: 2.6 points, 2.2 rebounds while starting one of five games. He had two assists and two steals before breaking his foot and earning a medical redshirt.
After ’97: Grant played 14 years overseas and one season in the NBA Development League. He retired in 2015 and returned to North Augusta, where he owns and manages a rental property and holds basketball camps for girls and boys ages 6-15. He still receives correspondence about the championship season and “The Shot” in 1998, when he made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to top Cincinnati.
* Note: Junior forward LeRon Williams joined the 1996-97 team for the spring semester after transferring from Florida. He was allowed to practice, but didn’t play and was thus not listed on the roster.
STAFF
HEAD COACH EDDIE FOGLER
Where is he now?: Columbia. Athletic consultant.
After ’97: The SEC Coach of the Year in 1997, Fogler stayed at USC through the 2000-01 season. He resigned on March 12, 2001, and retired from coaching with a record of 265-196 (123-117 at USC). The only coach in school history to win an SEC championship, Fogler is currently the only USC coach to have more than one winning SEC season. He guided the Gamecocks to two NCAA Tournaments and two NITs.
ASSISTANT COACH RICK CALLAHAN
Where is he now?: West Long Branch, N.J. Assistant coach, Monmouth.
After ’97: An assistant under Fogler at Wichita State and Vanderbilt, Callahan moved on to Penn State in 2000. He was at TCU for six seasons beginning in 2002, then at Radford for one before joining Monmouth in 2011.
ASSISTANT COACH JEFF LEBO
Where is he now?: Greenville, N.C. Head coach, East Carolina.
After ’97: Lebo left USC after the 1997-98 season for the head coaching job at Tennessee Tech, where he won 27 games in his fourth and final season. Head jobs at Chattanooga and Auburn followed before he landed at ECU for the 2010-11 season.
ASSISTANT COACH JOHN COOPER
Where is he now?: Oxford, Ohio. Head coach, Miami (Ohio).
After ’97: Cooper was an Oregon assistant for two years before joining Lebo at Auburn, then taking the head job at Tennessee State. He was there for three years before taking the Miami job in 2012.
Billy Anderson, strength and conditioning coach
Where is he now?: Columbia. Head strength and conditioning coach for Olympic sports, South Carolina.
Mac Credille, equipment manager
Where is he now?: Columbia. Men’s basketball equipment manager and one of USC’s longest tenured employees.
Jeff Parsons, trainer
Where is he now?: Lexington. Sales, marketing and research, Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
John Combs, student manager
Where is he now?: Columbia. Head coach, Ben Lippen High.
Jeff DiBattisto, student manager
Where is he now?: Columbia. Head coach, Westwood High.
Drew Jernigan, student manager
Where is he now?: Aiken. Head golf coach, South Aiken High.
This story was originally published February 4, 2017 at 9:08 PM with the headline "The 1997 Gamecocks title team: Where are they now?."