Where things stand with USC, Clemson and top in-state hoops prospect Josh Leonard
It’s already been a busy summer for Josh Leonard.
The Wilson High senior has spent the last few weeks bouncing around between playing with his AAU team Upward Stars and traveling to Las Vegas for Jimmy Pangos Camps. Last week, Leonard spent the beginning of the week at the NBA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill and capped it off playing with Wilson at the South Carolina High School League’s live period games Friday-Saturday and then in North Carolina live period games on Sunday.
“It has been good,” Leonard told The State during a break at the S.C. games. “Competing in a lot of games. It has been good building my game. I have learned to compete at a high level and bettering my game playing against high-level guys.”
At the NBA Top 100, Leonard said he enjoyed interacting and getting tips from the likes of pro players Terrence Mann, Andre Drummond and Wesley Matthews. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving made an unscheduled visit to the camp and played against some of the guys.
Leonard said he’s working hard on being more consistent with his game and improving his jump shot. The 6-foot-6 prospect can play either of the guard spots as well as at forward. At the S.C. live event, he played some at point guard and brought the ball up the court.
Leonard won his second-straight S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year this past season after averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 55.7%.
While Leonard is working on bettering his game, he also is working on trying to narrow down where he wants to play college basketball. He’s been the spotlight both in-state and nationally since his freshman year, with plenty of college offers coming his way.
South Carolina and Clemson were two of the first schools to offer him in 2024 and continue to work on landing the prospect who is ranked in the top-30 nationally for Class of 2027 by On3 and is a five-star recruit according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
USC coach Lamont Paris, Gamecocks assistant Bob Donewald and Carey Rich, and Clemson coach Brad Brownell were there Friday to watch Leonard play. Rich also was there Saturday. Leonard and his Wilson team competed at USC’s team camp earlier in June.
Neither USC nor Clemson has a commitment yet for the Class of 2027.
“I’ve got a good relationship with USC and Clemson,” Leonard said. “They are pushing me to stay at home and play. Both want to see me continue to develop my game.”
Tennessee and North Carolina State also are in the mix, and he recently just picked up an offer from national champion Michigan. Ole Miss and Mississippi State also have offered.
Leonard said he doesn’t have any official visits scheduled yet but could start taking them at the end of July. A college decision, he said, could happen before the start of his high school season in the fall.
“It has been a long process since the start of my freshman year, but it has been fun,” Leonard said. “I am just looking for a school where I can feel at home, play my game, get pushed and work hard on getting better.”
