Where are SC’s top basketball players going to college? A look at last five years

Charleston’s Josiah James committed to Tennessee on Wednesday, making him the latest star in-state player to head outside South Carolina for college.

James, a 6-foot-6 guard from Porter-Gaud, picked the Volunteers over two other finalists — Duke and Clemson. James is ranked by 247Sports as the state’s No. 1 player in the 2019 class. Zion Williamson, South Carolina’s No. 1 player in the 2018 class, picked Duke over four other finalists — Kansas, Kentucky, Clemson and USC.

Columbia’s P.J. Dozier, who went on to help the Gamecocks reach the Final Four, was the last top South Carolina high school player to stay in state for college. Dozier was ranked No. 1 in the 2015 class.

Here’s a look at the state’s best players, according to 247Sports rankings, from the last five classes and where they’ve gone to college.

Class of 2019 (committed)

1. Josiah James (Porter-Gaud High School in Charleston) – Tennessee

2. Christian Brown (Lower Richland in Hopkins*) – undecided, but is involved with Clemson, Georgia, UNLV, Ole Miss, Florida State and Maryland

3. Juwan Gary (Gray Collegiate Academy in West Columbia**) – Alabama

4. Trae Hannibal (Hartsville) – committed to South Carolina

5. Malcolm Wilson (Ridge View in Columbia) – undecided, but is down to Clemson, Georgetown and Rice

*transferred to McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia

**transferred to West Charlotte High School in North Carolina

Class of 2018 (signed)

1. Zion Williamson (Spartanburg Day) – Duke

2. Aaron Nesmith (Porter-Gaud) – Vanderbilt

3. D.J. Burns (York Prep Acadmey in Rock Hill) – Tennessee

4. Robert Braswell (Blythewood) – Syracuse

5. Jimmy Nichols (Conway) – Providence

Class of 2017 (signed)

1. Jalek Felton (Gray Collegiate) – North Carolina

2. Anthony Oliver (Daniel High School in Central) – Clemson

3. Mamoudou Diarra (22 Feet Academy in Greenville*) – Cincinnati

4. Clyde Trapp (Lower Richland) – Clemson

5. Nicolas Claxton (Legacy Charter in Greenville) – Georgia

*hometown is Bamako, Mali

Class of 2016 (signed)

1. Seventh Woods (Hammond School in Columbia) – North Carolina

2. Jordan Bruner (Spring Valley High School in Columbia) – Yale

3. Cartier Diarra (West Florence High School in Florence) – Kansas State

4. Jordan Bowden (22 Feet Academy*) – Tennessee

5. Mohamed Touray (Legacy Charter**) – Chipola College

*hometown is Knoxville, Tennessee

**hometown is Bronx, New York

Class of 2015 (signed)

1. P.J. Dozier (Spring Valley) – South Carolina

2. Tevin Mack (Dreher High School in Columbia) – Texas

3. Damontrae Jefferson (Believe Prep Academy in Rock Hill*) – Texas Southern

4. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Dorman High School in Roebuck) – Stanford (for football)

5. Karl Gamble (AC Flora High School in Columbia) – Middle Tennessee

*hometown is Milwaukee, Wisconsin