USC Gamecocks basketball signee Zachary Davis plans to ‘stay home and play’ for new coach
When Zachary Davis visited Colonial Life Arena for the first time, he told his Denmark-Olar High teammates he wanted to play in the building someday. He wanted to be a South Carolina Gamecock.
He was serious. Last June, the 6-foot-8 point guard became the first commit of Frank Martin’s 2022 class, signing with USC a few months later in November’s early signing period.
On March 14, USC fired Martin after 10 years as head coach. The news blindsided Davis — as well as the team’s current players.
But Davis kept an open mind. He spent the subsequent days following the USC coaching search, talking with Martin on the phone and having conversations with fellow signee Daniel Hankins-Sanford out of Charlotte. When news broke that USC was going to hire Chattanooga’s Lamont Paris, Davis started digging into Chattanooga film. He watched how Paris operated his offense and defense with the Mocs — and he liked what he saw.
The coaching change ultimately didn’t deter him. On Tuesday, Davis put on a Gamecocks T-shirt and hat and held a celebratory signing ceremony at Denmark-Olar. Later that same day, Davis and parents met Paris for the first time. Davis had a good feeling about it — a hunch that he would hit it off with the new Gamecocks coach. He was right.
“The vibe that I picked up from him when we first shook hands, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m cool,’“ Davis told The State. “I’m comfortable with him. And we just started talking. He made jokes. He made me laugh. If you can make me laugh, then you’re good.
“He was just saying that me picking that school was a good choice. And if he was in my position right now, he would do the same thing. And he said he’s gonna surround me around some guys that I love to play with.”
The meeting with Paris reaffirmed Davis’ commitment to USC. And Hankins-Sanford seems equally committed, tweeting Thursday that “High school has been great! Can’t wait to see what USC has in store for me.”
Their intention to come to USC is good news for a Gamecocks team that has lost six players to the transfer portal since the coaching change. The third member of USC’s 2022 class, Bryce Lindsay, re-opened his recruitment shortly after Martin’s firing. He had not yet signed with USC.
Davis and his parents liked the vision that Paris had for him and his fit with the new-look USC program, and Davis especially likes Paris’ offensive and defensive structure. As a 6-foot-8 player with point guard skills, Davis doesn’t fit a cookie-cutter mold, and Paris’ system appears to cater to his versatility. Paris said in his introductory press conference that he runs a disciplined defense but likes to let his team “play loose” offensively.
“The way that he runs offense, it’s not really like a set position,” Davis said. “So you can be a forward and you can bring the ball down the court, or you can be the point guard and bring the ball down the court. He’s going to let you play, and he’s gonna put you in the right position to do you and be the best you.
“And defense, he likes dogs. He likes defenders that cause problems.”
Davis is coming off a standout senior season at Denmark-Olar, averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists a game. He was named Class A Co-Player of the Year and was picked to play in the Carolinas Classic, which features some of the top seniors in North and South Carolina.
Despite a changing of the guard at USC, Davis intends to bring those talents to Columbia next season.
“I like what (Paris is) bringing to the table,” Davis told The State. “I like the stuff that he’s saying. I’m gonna stay home and play for Lamont Paris.”
This story was originally published April 2, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
