State’s top basketball recruit leaving SC to play for IMG Academy
South Carolina’s highest-ranked high school basketball prospect will be finishing his high school career out of state.
Josh Leonard of Wilson High in Florence is transferring to IMG Academy in Florida, Upward Stars AAU coach Curt Wheeler confirmed to The State on Wednesday. Leonard plays with the Stars on the Adidas AAU circuit.
Sam Kayser of League Ready was the first to report the news.
Rumors of Leonard’s possible decision to play out of state have been going around for the past several months. He played with Wilson High during his S.C. Basketball Coaches Association Live event in June.
IMG Academy, located in Bradenton, Fla., went 21-9 this year and was in the Nike EYBL Scholastic Basketball League before leaving last season. Jackson Johnson was announced as the program’s new coach in May.
The 6-foot-7 Leonard is ranks as a top-40 prospect nationally by 247Sports Composite, On3 and ESPN.
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%.
Leonard is averaging 19.4 points and 6.3 rebounds this summer for Upward Stars.
South Carolina and Clemson are in the mix for Leonard along with Tennessee, North Carolina State, Michigan. Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
USC coach Lamont Paris, Gamecocks assistants Bob Donewald and Carey Rich, as well as Clemson coach Brad Brownell, were there at the S.C. Live event to watch Leonard play.
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.”
Leonard isn’t the first high-profile area player to finish their senior season out of state. Blythewood’s Julian Phillips (Link Academy), Keenan’s Dillon Jones (Sunrise) and AC Flora’s Collin Murray-Boyles (Wasatch Academy) all did the same thing and are currently in the NBA
This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 1:22 PM.
