Gamecock veteran joins Keyshawn Bryant in testing NBA process
South Carolina sophomore guard Jermaine Couisnard announced on Instagram Thursday that he has declared for the NBA draft without signing an agent.
He is the second Gamecock to enter his name in the NBA draft process this week after junior Keyshawn Bryant announced his decision on Sunday.
Couisnard broke out as South Carolina’s starting point guard last season as a redshirt freshman but struggled in his second year as a starter, battling various injuries and shooting just 30.2% from the field for the season. Cousinard has started 30 career games for the Gamecocks and has averaged 11.4 points per game.
“I’m so thankful for my family, all of my coaches and teammates, and all of the fans for their support and for helping me get this far in my career on the court,” Couisnard said in an Instagram post.
With head coach Frank Martin seemingly remaining in Columbia, there’s been a flurry of activity for the men’s basketball team this week. Guards T.J. Moss and Trae Hannibal and forward Jalyn McCreary all entered their names into the transfer portal, which now includes more than 1,100 Division I basketball players, according to VerbalCommits.com.
The Gamecocks are also likely to lose leading scorer A.J. Lawson, who entered his name into the NBA draft process each of the last two seasons.
The new-look Gamecocks are slated to bring in a pair of guards — Devin Carter and Jacobi Wright — next season. Martin has praised both signees and said he believes they grade out higher than the three-star rankings they’ve earned in 247Sport’s Composite rankings.
Neither Bryant nor Couisnard are guaranteed to leave Columbia. Declaring for the draft without an agent gives them the flexibility to return to USC, depending on the feedback they receive from NBA teams.
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 5:27 PM.
