Five burning questions as South Carolina basketball heads toward next season
South Carolina’s basketball team was young last season, something Frank Martin will remind folks of, but early in the offseason some things remain uncertain.
Exactly what this team looks like in fall isn’t so clear. And there are more than a few questions with the players who will return.
A look at the biggest questions looming for South Carolina’s offseason:
1. Is A.J. Lawson back?
At his best, the Canadian is as talented and versatile a player as the Gamecocks have. This past season didn’t quite live up to the hype, but he could still play two positions and was a key spot-up shooter and finisher in transition. But he’s long been considered a player with strong inclinations to go into the NBA Draft. Martin said he’d be talking with Lawson and his family at some point, and noted the shutdown of the NBA could make it more difficult to impress in the pre-draft process. (Lawson is not listed in most mock drafts.) Plenty of players take the next step just looking to start as professionals, but if Lawson does choose to return it raises the Gamecocks’ ceiling in a considerable way.
2. How much will the bigs step up?
Last season, Maik Kotsar answered the bell, becoming a reliable two-way anchor after three inconsistent offensive seasons. He’s now gone, and the Gamecocks are again looking for a consistent option there. Alanzo Frink and Wildens Leveque were the team’s other two primary bigs, and each had moments of promise along with inconsistency and foul issues. Jalyn McCreary might also be in that mix, though he’s a little smaller at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds. The team also adds a pair of freshmen in Patrick Iriel and Ja’Von Benson, but playing as a freshman big in Martin’s demanding system isn’t easy. If forwards Justin Minaya and Keyshawn Bryant can shore up a few things, the Gamecocks should be able to get away with long stretches playing just one big. But they at least need one of those bigs to be a consistent and reliable option.
3. What kind of steps do the wings take?
Speaking of Minaya and Bryant, they have the makings of a strong pairing at the two forward spots, but each needs some things to go right. Until a thumb injury cost him nine games, Minaya was as consistent and reliable a player as the Gamecocks had, a solid defensive player and low-turnover option on offense. But his free throw and 3-point shooting slipped from his last full season, making him a less deadly floor spacer. Bryant showed promise before missing large swaths of practice and more than a few games with a variety of maladies. At his best, he’s a high-flying dunker and versatile defender, but he’ll need to add a lot of polish to his game.
4. Will Jermaine Couisnard’s shooting improve?
The redshirt freshman grew into the kind of hard-nosed leader Martin wanted at the helm. He’ll likely hold that role, setting the table on offense going forward for several seasons. And he did all that without being much of a consistent shooter despite that purportedly being a strength. If he’s able to make gains on his 29% 3-point shooting and 66.9% free throw shooting, it unlocks more of his game and the offense in general.
5. Which other guards become consistent?
Down the stretch, the Gamecocks often turned to lineups with Couisnard, Lawson and one other guard. The issue was, none of the other three highly used options was consistent. Jair Bolden could rain shots from all over when he was on, but when he wasn’t connecting there were issues on both sides of the court. Trae Hannibal showed flashes, but would often freelance in ways that cost him playing times. T.J. Moss usually knew where he was supposed to be, but shooting problems and turnovers hurt him. Even if Lawson stays, and especially if he leaves, USC will need someone from that group to become reliable. Another candidate is Seventh Woods, a former four-star prospect who never became more than an eighth man at UNC.
Bonus: What else happens to the roster?
Martin said multiple times that he likes this younger group and doesn’t expect much in the way of transition. But the team has lost an average of more than three non-seniors the past three offseasons. Players who struggle with consistency and finding larger roles are always a threat to depart, and the staff is at least doing due diligence in the transfer market, should something happen.
