USC freshman Eli Ellis shows smooth transition from OTE in first college minutes
By a four-star recruit’s standards, Eli Ellis entered his freshman season at South Carolina somewhat underrated.
Ellis was never a top-50 recruit. In fact, he fell from his best 247Sports Composite ranking at No. 61 in June 2023 to as low as No. 104 the following year, before settling at 95th in the final rankings update before he enrolled at USC.
Maybe it was his height — 6-foot is undersized for an SEC guard nowadays. Maybe it was because he played in an Overtime Elite league that’s still new and non-traditional compared with a regular high school league. Maybe his more than 2 million followers across Instagram and TikTok rubbed some coaches the wrong way.
Whatever it was, it didn’t matter when it came time for Ellis’ first collegiate minutes in Sunday’s exhibition against N.C. State.
The Gamecocks fell 88-86 on a game-winning 3-pointer that came in the final seconds, but Ellis looked comfortable as he led USC with 23 points and five 3-pointers in 27 minutes off the bench. A video of his very first college highlights, posted to Instagram by Slam Magazine, was titled, “Eli Ellis Just WENT CRAZY in his College Debut.”
“Nobody really expected me to do much into college. I think a lot of eyes are on me, just to be able to fail,” Ellis said. “But, to have that first good game and show that [in] OTE, college, no matter what level, I can show up and perform and be a guy that can help the team win.”
Regardless of whether OTE is the best transition to college or not, Ellis’ high school career numbers are nothing to scoff at. He averaged 31.5 points on 51.8% shooting in his final year in the league and was awarded back-to-back league MVP awards.
N.C. State sophomore Paul McNeil Jr. hit the game-winning shot against USC, but his time facing off against Ellis goes back to their AAU days. McNeil said it was no surprise to see the freshman perform like he did in his first game.
“He’s a great player. When he gets it going, he gets it going,” he said. “He’s a freshman, but he doesn’t play like a freshman.”
It was an encouraging performance for Ellis, but it’s still just one game. He’ll have time to keep developing his comfort level through non-conference play, but USC will rely on its freshman guard to repeat Sunday’s performance in order to compete against a grueling SEC slate. First-year N.C. State coach said he thinks the Gamecocks have nothing to worry about.
“That kid’s made of the right stuff,” Wade said. “The basketball skills are one thing, but the moxie and the toughness and the grit. ... I mean, that’s what you have to have if you’re a smaller guard to make it in a power conference.”
South Carolina men’s basketball upcoming games
- 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 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
