Keyshawn Bryant not turning pro, but he’s not returning to South Carolina either
Earlier in the month, South Carolina senior forward Keyshawn Bryant declared for the NBA Draft and announced his intention to hire an agent.
But on Friday, Bryant reversed course and decided to enter the transfer portal instead, marking the seventh Gamecock to enter the portal this offseason. A USC spokesperson confirmed Bryant’s name is in the portal.
“After deep consideration with my family, it’s best that I withdraw my name from the NBA Draft and enter the transfer portal,” Bryant tweeted Friday afternoon.
A native of Winter Haven, Florida, Bryant established himself as a key player on Martin’s teams, making 72 starts in his Gamecocks career. He had a career-best season during USC’s difficult 6-15 year during the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, averaging 14.4 points per game. Bryant entered the NBA Draft process after that season but decided to return to school.
Bryant took a step back his senior year, suspended in the team’s first five games due to a violation of athletic department policy. The 6-foot-6 Bryant averaged 8.7 points and 4 rebounds per game for the Gamecocks this season.
Viewed as somewhat of a project player upon arriving in Columbia, Bryant’s athleticism has never been in question, as he usually produces one or two highlight-reel dunks per game. Bryant has worked to evolve into a more well-rounded player, adding more mid-range shots to his game and attempting a career-high 53 3-pointers this season. He made 15 of those attempts (28.3%).
The Gamecocks fired 10-year head coach Frank Martin on March 14, replacing him with Chattanooga’s Lamont Paris.
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.
Transfers
Keyshawn Bryant (April 22)
Mike Green (March 28)
Devin Carter (March 28) — Providence
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 22, 2022 at 3:56 PM.
