South Carolina MBB loses first player to transfer portal, report says
.JPG "South Carolina forward Elijah Strong (31) is seen during the men's basketball game against North Carolina A&T at Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.")
As South Carolina men’s basketball rebuilds its roster to bounce back from a 13-19 season, it can now cross one Gamecock off the list of potential returnees.
Junior forward Elijah Strong intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens April 7, his agency told On3’s Jamie Shaw on Friday.
Strong averaged 10 points and 2.3 rebounds per game for the Gamecocks this season. He began the year on the bench but worked his way into the starting five and started 18 games for USC. Strong transferred to USC after two seasons at Boston College and has one year of eligibility remaining.
After USC’s loss to Oklahoma at the SEC Tournament in Nashville on March 11, Strong told The State he intended to be in a Gamecock uniform for the 2026-27 season.
“Those conversations will be had, but I have no intentions on doing anything else but being a Gamecock. I want to stick it out. I want to play my last year under coach (Lamont) Paris. That’s something I really want to do,” Strong said.
Strong isn’t the first member of the 2025-26 USC men’s hoops operation to exit. A team source confirmed to The State on Thursday that USC had parted ways with assistant coach Eddie Shannon.
Eight other players on USC’s roster this season have additional eligibility and decisions to make before the portal opens April 7.
This story was originally published March 20, 2026 at 4:46 PM.