South Carolina basketball adding Lithuanian big man transfer from Big Ten school
South Carolina men’s basketball is adding a starter from a Big Ten school to its roster.
Wisconsin center Aleksas Bieliauskas has committed to Lamont Paris and the Gamecocks, The State confirmed. Jonathan Givonny of Draft Express was the first to report the commitment. He is the third addition from the transfer portal joining George Mason’s Kory Mincy and Texas’ Camden Heide.
Bieliauskas has three years of eligibility left.
The 6-foot-10 Bieliauskas is a big man who can shoot from the outside, something Paris loves for his offense.
Bieliauskas started 28 games this season for the Badgers and averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He shot 35.4% from 3-point range this season.
Bieliauskas’ best game came in a win over then-No. 2 Michigan in which he scored 17 points and hit five 3-pointers in the victory. He was only the fifth Wisconsin freshman since 2000 to hit five 3-pointers in a game.
Before Wisconsin, the Lithuanian native played 45 games for Zalgiris II in the Lithuanian NKL and averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 39.3% from 3-point range.
The Gamecocks lost seven players to the transfer portal and five players to graduation, so Paris and his staff will be busy adding new players to the roster. South Carolina has only one high school signee in four-star Marcus Johnson. The Gamecocks will return Grant Polk, Hayden Assemian and Eli Sparkman.
USC went 13-19 this season and lost in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
South Carolina men’s basketball 2026-27 roster outlook
Out of eligibility
- Meechie Johnson, G
- Nordin Kapic, F
- Kobe Knox, G
- Mike Sharavjamts, G
- Myles Stute, G
In the transfer portal
- Jordan Butler, F
- Eli Ellis, G
- Christ Essandoko, F
- Cam Scott, G
- Elijah Strong, F
- EJ Walker, F
- Abu Yarmah, G (Longwood)
On the roster
- Hayden Assemian, F
- Grant Polk, G
- Eli Sparkman, G
High School signee
- Marcus Johnson, G
Transfer portal additions
- Camden Heide, F, Texas
- Kory Mincy, G, George Mason
- Aleksas Bieliauskas, C, Wisconsin
