Keyshawn Bryant, Jermaine Couisnard deliver great news for Frank Martin’s Gamecocks
South Carolina forward Keyshawn Bryant and guard Jermaine Couisnard will return to Frank Martin’s Gamecocks for at least one more season, the two announced on social media Wednesday.
Both Bryant and Couisnard declared for the NBA Draft shortly after the season without signing agents, and Martin has said throughout the offseason he expected both players to be back.
The two made their announcements on social media Wednesday less than an hour apart, and it’s a big boost for a new-look Gamecocks team that lost six players to the transfer portal while adding four.
With his 14.4 points per game Bryant was the second-leading scorer on the team behind A.J. Lawson, who declared for the draft and signed with an agent. Bryant took a leap as an all-around player as a junior, showing an improved scoring touch from mid-range and earning consistent praise from Martin down the stretch for his growth as a vocal leader on the Gamecocks.
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.
It’s been an eventful week for the men’s basketball team, which also added Martin’s son, Brandon Martin, from USC Upstate and lost Seventh Woods to the transfer portal.
“I have unbelievable relationships with Jermaine and Keyshawn, just so you guys know .... they’re exploring to get information, the rules are there to allow it, why not do it?” Martin said after Bryant and Couisnard announced their NBA Draft decisions.
“Keyshawn’s electric in the things that he does. He grew tremendously as a person and a player this past year.”
PROJECTING THE 2021-22 GAMECOCKS
Who’s coming
G Chico Carter Jr. (transfer)
F Brandon Martin (transfer)
G James Reese (transfer)
G Erik Stevenson (transfer)
G Devin Carter (signee)
G Jacobi Wright (signee)
F TaQuan Woodley (signee)
F Carlous Williams (commit)
F A.J. Wilson (transfer)
Who’s going
G Trae Hannibal (transfer)
G T.J. Moss (transfer)
F Jalyn McCreary (transfer)
F Justin Minaya (grad transfer)
F Trey Anderson (transfer)
G Seventh Woods (transfer)
NBA Draft
G A.J. Lawson (signed with agent)
Expected to return
G Jermaine Couisnard
G Mike Green
G Ford Cooper Jr.
F Keyshawn Bryant
F Wildens Leveque
F Alanzo Frink
F Ja’Von Benson
F Tre-Vaughn Minott
This story was originally published June 2, 2021 at 2:47 PM.
