Which USC basketball transfer will be biggest surprise? One name stands out
With 11 newcomers, including six transfers, on South Carolina men’s basketball’s roster, it’s tough to pin down which players will fill each role this season. Even head coach Lamont Paris admitted the new age of recruiting has made it tough to figure out what he has in each player because he has less time to do so.
“It’s kind of like still trying to figure out what this new player even does,” he said. “When he does something different, is that growth? Or has he already been able to do that, but he just never did that? It’s just a lot of challenges with that.”
It’s clear the transfer group made up of exclusively upperclassmen will play a big role in USC’s performance this season. Some transfers are easy to single out than others. Meechie Johnson’s return to USC has fans excited, and most expect him to pair with Utah transfer Mike Sharavjamts as the Gamecocks’ primary ball handlers.
But among the rest of the portal signees, who might surprise fans and make the biggest impact? Throughout the preseason, one name kept popping up: Elijah Strong.
“I think, because of his skill set and our style of play, I think he’s a guy that could have a tremendous season,” USC assistant coach Eddie Shannon said.
How Elijah Strong got to the USC basketball team
Strong, a junior out of Charlotte, North Carolina, came to Columbia after two seasons at Boston College. In his sophomore year, Strong averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He finished the season with a 45.2% field goal percentage and shot 36.2% on 3-pointers.
USC’s staff first took note of the 6-foot-8, 250-pound forward when the Gamecocks played against Strong and his former team in December 2024. He finished with just five points and five rebounds in 24 minutes, but it was enough for the Gamecocks coaches to keep an eye out. Strong eventually signed with USC out of the portal over George Mason and Maryland, according to the Big Spur, a 247sports fan site.
Paris told The State at SEC Tipoff in Birmingham, Alabama that Strong’s offensive capabilities are far greater than what he’d seen in person and on tape.
“We played them, I saw what he brought to the table by way of video and then he got to campus. He’s capable of more things offensively than what I originally anticipated,” Paris said. “Which was already to say I thought he could be a really good piece for us. But I think he’s even more capable offensively than what I originally thought.”
What to expect from Strong as a Gamecock
Strong’s new teammates seem to have taken to him already.
“It’s been really fun just playing against him and playing with him in practice so far. Being in the gym with him, he’s a joy to be around,” said fifth-year USC guard Myles Stute.
With all the talk about his offense, Strong thinks he can bring an edge to USC’s defense through his on-court play and the energy he puts out to his teammates.
“I feel like I’m a player who can guard all five positions,” Strong said. “I’ve been working on being way more alert off the ball defensively, and that’s my next step defensively. ... If you look over at Meechie and he’s guarding the ball, and you hear me, I’m back over there pouring confidence into him.”
USC men’s basketball will take the court for the first time at home this season against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 4, which is just under two weeks away. Anticipation for Strong and the rest of the team will only grow until then. But Strong said he’s just happy to be out of the portal, closer to home and where he feels he fits the best.
“It was hectic. It’s so many schools, so many needs in a program and different systems. You’ve got to be careful where you pick,” he said. “This was obviously the best situation for me — proximity to home, playing style and a coaching staff that genuinely wants to make me a pro.”
USC men’s basketball upcoming schedule
- Sunday: exhibition vs NC State (in Greensboro), 4:30 p.m.
- Nov. 4: vs. North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Nov. 9: vs. Southern Mississippi, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Nov. 12: vs. Presbyterian, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Nov. 18: vs. Radford, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
