'Stay tuned.' How Trae Hannibal's commitment can impact South Carolina's 2019 class

Trae Hannibal is an explosive point guard who can impact a basketball game with aggressive takes to the rim on offense and successful sprints into the passing lane on defense. These traits are what led to South Carolina's interest and Hannibal's eventual commitment to the Gamecocks.

But how is the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder as a recruiter?

"Trae's a lovable kid," Yusuf English said with a laugh.

English is Hannibal's coach at Hartsville High School. He's a Brooklyn native but has been around South Carolina gyms long enough to realize the significance of Friday's announcement. It's early June and one of the more talented in-state prospects in a loaded 2019 class has already made his college decision.

And Hannibal, with growing interest from the likes of Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, is staying home.

"By him making this decision," English said, "it's letting everybody else know that Carolina is a place that you can go play. You don't have to leave the state to go big-time. The big-time people don't have to leave the state. We can do something great right here. 'I can do something great right here. I want to be home. I love South Carolina.'

"And that's pretty much what his commitment does."

Before Rock Hill forward D.J. Burns reclassified to 2018 in May, the state of South Carolina was represented five times in Rivals' rankings of the nation's top 150 players in the '19 class. Charleston point guard Josiah James, No. 15 on that list, now teams with Hannibal for TMP on the AAU circuit.

"It's been fun," Hannibal said. "When I've been on the ball, he's been off the ball and I get him involved, still. And vice versa.

"It's been real fun traveling, talking, hanging out and hooping together. It's been real fun."

James, a 6-6, 195-pounder with offers from the likes of Duke and Michigan State, has publicly kept both USC and Clemson as options. As of Friday afternoon, Hannibal said he had yet to hear from James about his Carolina pledge, but "he probably will call my phone."

Hannibal's announcement gives USC its first in-state commitment since Myrtle Beach's Jason Cudd in the 2017 class. USC's recent Final Four run, of course, was anchored by locals Sindarius Thornwell (Lancaster), P.J. Dozier (Columbia) and Justin McKie (Columbia).

"Nothing like a South Carolinian wearing a Gamecock Jersey," Martin tweeted Friday.

So who's next? How many times will Martin copy and paste such a tweet over the next several months?

Beyond James, the Gamecocks are recruiting Gray Collegiate’s Juwan Gary, Lower Richland’s Christian Brown and Ridge View’s Malcolm Wilson, among others.

"It'll be amazing for half the class of 2019 to show up at USC," Hannibal said, "but only time will tell."

Asked for his recruiting plan, Hannibal simply responded: "Stay tuned."

This story was originally published June 1, 2018 at 4:08 PM with the headline "'Stay tuned.' How Trae Hannibal's commitment can impact South Carolina's 2019 class."