USC offers Texas guard, could have staying power with prospect

South Carolina assistant basketball coach Perry Clark recently offered Class of 2017 point guard C.J. Roberts of North Richland Hills, Texas. According to his father, the Gamecocks will be a factor in his recruiting.

The 6-foot-2 Roberts also has offers from SMU, Alabama, Houston, Miami, Baylor, Kansas State, Rhode Island, Rutgers, Illinois, Wichita State and Southern Cal.

Craig Roberts is C.J.’s father and also is an AAU coach, though he doesn’t coach his son’s team. C.J. burst on the scene at a tournament in Las Vegas last year and has continued to see his stock rise. His father said he’s the type of point guard Frank Martin covets.

“He has good quickness, at an elite level, and great athleticism,” Roberts said. “His offensive game revolves around speed. He lives in the lane but he’s strong enough to play in a half-court setting. And he thrives on competition.”

In his conversations with Clark, Roberts said the Gamecocks’ recruiter identified some of the same traits in C.J. and thinks he would be an excellent fit for them.

“He liked his competitiveness, his toughness and the fact he is a warrior,” Roberts said. “They want guys that show up and want to go to work every day. He thinks coach Martin would be a fun coach to play for. He’s not afraid or intimidated by hard coaching.”

Roberts said they plan to take an unofficial visit to USC in June. They have been to Miami, SMU, TCU, Baylor, Texas and Houston. They also want to see Southern Cal and Iowa State and make a return trip to Miami.

Last season C.J. Roberts averaged 23 points, 3.6 assists and 3 rebounds per game.

This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "USC offers Texas guard, could have staying power with prospect."