Another former USC men’s basketball player joins Frank Martin at UMass
Frank Martin’s new frontcourt at UMass should look familiar to Gamecocks fans.
A week after former South Carolina big man Ta’Quan Woodley announced he was transferring to Martin’s new team, fellow big man Wildens Leveque did the same.
On Monday night, the 6-foot-10 center tweeted a picture of himself wearing a No. 33 UMass jersey, standing side by side with Martin and Woodley and said, “I’M ALL IN.”
Leveque and Woodley are two of six players to transfer from the Gamecocks after USC fired the 10-year head coach on March 14, replacing him with Chattanooga’s Lamont Paris. And now they’ll both join Martin with the Minutemen, where the 56-year-old inked a five-year contract.
Leveque, a rising senior, was a two-year starter at center for the Gamecocks. After putting up five straight games of double-digit points to end non-conference play, Leveque struggled during conference play this season, with Martin pulling Leveque early in games late in the year — often replacing him with Woodley. Leveque averaged 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
It’s not a surprise to see Leveque follow Martin to his new stop after Leveque expressed his trust in Martin before this season, explaining why he didn’t transfer away from the program following 2020’s difficult 6-15 COVID-19 season.
“I’ve really put my trust into this program,” Leveque said in the fall. “And Frank is a really good coach. It’s more than just basketball. He really teaches you to grow up and how to be a man. And I took on that challenge freshman year, and I’ve been committed ever since.”
Gamecocks roster moves
A list of South Carolina players who will be either transferring or declaring for NBA Draft Listed with new college where applicable.
NBA Draft
Keyshawn Bryant (April 7)
Transfers
Mike Green (March 28)
Devin Carter (March 28)
Wildens Leveque (March 27) — Massachusetts
Ta’Quan Woodley (March 26) — Massachusetts
Jermaine Couisnard (March 25)
Erik Stevenson (March 24) — West Virginia
This story was originally published April 11, 2022 at 7:36 PM.
