Meechie Johnson back with South Carolina but isn’t practicing. Here’s why
Meechie Johnson’s second stint with the South Carolina men’s basketball team is off to a slow start.
The senior guard has been bothered by a back injury and has yet to participate in summer workouts, coach Lamont Paris said Monday at a press conference. Paris expects Johnson to be out at least a few more weeks.
“He has had some tightness in his back and we have been holding him out of the workouts,” Paris said of Johnson. “... He is at all the workouts and practices, and he is a very powerful voice and is demonstrating great leadership. It is a bummer for him because he was looking forward to getting into the drills and leading by doing.”
Johnson has been excited and ready to get back to his second go-round with the Gamecocks, Paris said. He announced in April that he was transferring back to South Carolina after spending last season at Ohio State. The Cleveland product was a fan favorite and productive player for the Gamecocks during his first stint from 2022 to 2024.
“I think this is a guy who says that is a great situation for me,” Paris said of Johnson. “I’ve got a staff that believes in me totally. I have a fan base and a community that supports me. He knows what his role is and what is going to look like, and he is familiar and comfortable with these things.
“... And at this stage, he is not trying to prove anything to anyone here. He wants to prove that we can win a lot of games. He knows why he is back here and why we wanted him back here. He knows what his role is, and there is a comfort in that.”
Johnson averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in his final season at USC and helped the Gamecocks earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years. The guard also earned second-team all-Southeastern Conference honors.
Johnson is expected to have a key role for the Gamecocks this upcoming season after a rough year with Ohio State. He played in 10 games in 2024-25 (all starts) and averaged 9.1 points a game before leaving the team for personal reasons on Dec. 10. Because he appeared in only 10 games, he can apply for a mental health hardship waiver that would allow him to play another season of college basketball.
“I was just going through a lot mentally,” Johnson told The Columbus Dispatch. “Mental health is serious. It’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life. It was something that definitely was affecting me. It was my life. There was a lot going on, and basketball being something that you use to be an outlet, I just didn’t feel like myself mentally. I just had to focus on my mental health. That was that.”
Gamecocks missing another transfer
Providence transfer Christ (pronounced Chr-eest) Essandoko is yet to arrive on campus, Paris said.
Paris said Essandoko’s absence has to do with international rules and protocol. The 7-foot redshirt junior is a native of France who played high school basketball in Winston-Salem (NC) and then in college at St. Joseph’s (2022-24) and Providence (2024-25).
“It didn’t make sense to have to him right now; he will be joining us later,” Paris said. “He is working out this summer and has been back here a few times with his teammates.”
Final roster spot
The Gamecocks currently have 14 players on scholarship, one from the maximum number the NCAA allows.
Paris said they will probably add a final player “in some way shape or form” but that there are a lot of things that will go into it. The empty roster spot was vacated by Collin Murray-Boyles’ departure. Murray-Boyles entered the NBA Draft and is expected to a first-round pick on Wednesday.
“I don’t think we are in a search to find a savior for this year’s team,” Paris said. “The piece would have to make sense. We talked about team chemistry, so it needs to be a person that would enhance that part. Stay tuned. We will probably try to do something but it will be someone that fits in really well seamlessly.
“We have constructed the team we want to construct and would look to add a piece that makes complete sense.”
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM.
