‘Let’s wrap our arms around him!’ Staley, Beamer react to Lamont Paris hire at USC
Lamont Paris has been welcomed to South Carolina with open arms from current Gamecocks coaches.
The new Gamecocks men’s basketball coach received messages via Twitter from women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and football coach Shane Beamer after his hiring was approved by the school’s board of trustees Thursday.
“Congrats and welcome @GamecockMBB new head coach Lamont Paris! You’re good to love Columbia, SC and most of all its people. Look forward to meeting, learning and working with you! @GamecocksOnline nation let’s wrap our arms around him! Go gamecocks!!!” Staley wrote in a tweet.
Beamer echoed the sentiment.
“Welcome Coach Paris !! Excited to work with you !!” Beamer tweeted.
Paris, 47, is the 33rd coach in South Carolina men’s basketball history and the first Black head coach of any of South Carolina’s three major men’s sports. He replaced former coach Frank Martin, who was fired in March after 10 years at the helm of the Gamecocks’ program.
Paris comes to Columbia from Chattanooga, where he led the Mocs to a 87-71 record in his five seasons as a head coach. He previously worked as an assistant coach for Wisconsin from 2011-17.
Paris’ 13th-seeded Mocs made it to the NCAA tournament this year, losing by one point to No. 4 Illinois. It was Paris’ first tournament appearance as a head coach.
“I am excited to be named the head coach at South Carolina,” Paris said in a statement. “The opportunity to build on what this program has achieved recently is exciting. While I am the head coach, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the many head and assistant coaches and student-athletes that I have worked with. I want Gamecock fans to know that we will have a program that you will be proud of and one that will compete for championships.”
USC’s board of trustees approved a five-year, $12 million contract for Paris on Thursday. He will make $2.2 million in his first season, with the salary increasing by $100,000 each year. The school also agreed to pay Paris’ $450,000 buyout at Chattanooga.
Paris previously made $250,000 at Chattanooga. Martin was making $3.2 million when he was fired.
Paris will hold his first press conference as USC men’s basketball coach at 5 p.m. in Colonial Life Arena on Thursday.
This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 4:10 PM.
