Ranking The Gamecocks' Three Most Important MBB Transfer Additions
After losing eight players from a squad that went 11-21 this past season, a group that included the Gamecocks star freshman in GG Jackson and veteran leader Hayden Brown, South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris knew that he and the staff would need to hammer the transfer portal this offseason. That's exactly what the second-year head man did, as the Gamecocks brought in the 39th best portal class in college basketball, according to 247sports.
While each of the four new transfer additions are bound to play an integral role for the Gamecocks in 2023, three of them in particular stick out as players who could help elevate the team's ceiling this coming Winter. Who are those players?
1) PF BJ Mack (From Wofford)
In terms of which transfer will bring the deepest and most diverse offensive skillset to South Carolina, Mack leads this category by a country mile. During his time at Wofford, BJ displayed craftiness around the rim with the multiple ways he could score the basketball and how he used his size to create space for himself. Mack can also stretch the floor beyond the three-point line, where he can hit contested and uncontested shots.
BJ will be the Gamecocks' best offensive player by far on this roster due to his ability to create and subsequently make his own shot.
2) PG Ta'Lon Cooper (From Minnesota)
Cooper might not fill up the stat sheet from a scoring standpoint like BJ Mack, but he will offer two important things to this team this next season: a bonafide facilitator and increased roster flexibility. This past season, Cooper dished 6.3 assists a game for the Golden Gophers, the seventh-highest mark in college basketball. Ta'Lon's arrival will also allow Meechie Johnson to slide to the two-guard slot more frequently and take some of the pressure off of Jacobi Wright and Ebrima Dribba, the latter of whom is coming off of an Achilles injury that made him miss all of last season.
3) Wing Myles Stute (From Vanderbilt)
Every team needs a player that's been around the block a time or two in high-pressure situations, and Myles Stute will bring that in spades to the Gamecocks this next season. Combine that with his ability to be a three-point sharpshooter and the extra development time it will offer Zachary Davis, and Myles's addition can be instantly viewed as a net positive for South Carolina.
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