C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
--Started by asking about two of the top draft picks being from South Carolina, says it's a huge impact on the state and it's happened before with guys like Kevin Garnett. Said the most unique part about this year was having one and two.
--In terms of AJ Lawson coming back, it definitely makes this year's team better. He said Lawson going pro was just an information-gathering process because Lawson was just in high school last year and his timetable was accelerated. It's a weird place for Martin because seeing guys go pro makes him happy but coaching Lawson is something he loves to do. Said he's excited to coach him again for another year.
--In terms of Seventh Woods, nowhere in Martin and Woods's conversations they never talked about him playing this year. Martin said the thought process is for Woods to come, get out of the spotlight for a year and have him learn what it's like to play under Martin that way when he's eligible he can come in and it's a smooth transition into his final year of eligibility.
--Martin's phone has been really active the last two days with calls coming in about Chris Silva and Brian Bowen. He said he loves Chris Silva and thinks he's had a lot of success recently and thinks he'll translate to the pro game.
--Frank Martin said Trae Hannibal has a chance to be a "star," and he's made some passes that Frank Martin hasn't seen from guys here before. Said he's probably the best passer he's seen at South Carolina to-date.
--Asked about Lamont Evans and if he's concerned about the NCAA investigating South Carolina, and Martin said he thinks the NCAA will be "extremely aggressive" and Martin supports that. He still doesn't understand what South Carolina's situation is but he goes to sleep at peace at night with where is program is. He feels bad for Lamont Evans and Book Richardson and doesn't understand why those coaches are being singled out. He still thinks there are bigger players in all of this and they went after a few smaller guys in the process.
--This 2019-20 is "as talented a team as I've been a part of" from a talent and work ethic standpoint. It's about now getting players and coaches to connect on the court and in the meeting rooms and build that locker room.
--In terms of Jalyn McCreary, he wanted to commit to South Carolina after a visit in January but the team didn't have a scholarship. Martin started to learn about him as a person, and the entire staff loved him. Then, when Jason Cudd's transfer happened, they moved quickly on McCreary.
When Felipe Haase opted to transfer, the timing of Haase's departure caught him off guard, then the team needed a grad transfer big. Martin was the first head coach to see him in person. "Loyalty was big for him."
--In terms of rebounding, he thinks this team will be a lot better in that point. The guards will be a big piece of that along with Minaya coming back from injury. He thinks they'll be much improved in that area.
--Jalyn McCreary is on campus working camp but not in class right now because he graduated too late to enroll in the first part of summer. Micaiah Henry is finishing up summer school and will be down after that in early July.
--Frank Martin says he will not play the D-II game this year, going against everything he stands for he said. Said it's to add another resume-building game on the schedule. Said he wasn't happy with the NIT for not picking South Carolina after last season.
--Martin thinks moving the three-point line back is a really good idea. Said he doesn't think widening the lane really helps. He thinks moving the line back will create a lot more space for offenses to run. He thinks flow will be better but footwork will have to be learned. Since the line gets moved back, then that means there's less space for corner threes.
--Asked about alcohol sales, he sys he doesn't know really but really doesn't want to see college atmospheres at football games turn into NFL games.
--TJ Moss has put on 20 pounds since he got on campus. Minaya's feeling really good, too. Minaya's been cleared for a while and TJ Moss has been cleared now and full participants in workouts.
--In terms of AJ Lawson coming back, it definitely makes this year's team better. He said Lawson going pro was just an information-gathering process because Lawson was just in high school last year and his timetable was accelerated. It's a weird place for Martin because seeing guys go pro makes him happy but coaching Lawson is something he loves to do. Said he's excited to coach him again for another year.
--In terms of Seventh Woods, nowhere in Martin and Woods's conversations they never talked about him playing this year. Martin said the thought process is for Woods to come, get out of the spotlight for a year and have him learn what it's like to play under Martin that way when he's eligible he can come in and it's a smooth transition into his final year of eligibility.
--Martin's phone has been really active the last two days with calls coming in about Chris Silva and Brian Bowen. He said he loves Chris Silva and thinks he's had a lot of success recently and thinks he'll translate to the pro game.
--Frank Martin said Trae Hannibal has a chance to be a "star," and he's made some passes that Frank Martin hasn't seen from guys here before. Said he's probably the best passer he's seen at South Carolina to-date.
--Asked about Lamont Evans and if he's concerned about the NCAA investigating South Carolina, and Martin said he thinks the NCAA will be "extremely aggressive" and Martin supports that. He still doesn't understand what South Carolina's situation is but he goes to sleep at peace at night with where is program is. He feels bad for Lamont Evans and Book Richardson and doesn't understand why those coaches are being singled out. He still thinks there are bigger players in all of this and they went after a few smaller guys in the process.
--This 2019-20 is "as talented a team as I've been a part of" from a talent and work ethic standpoint. It's about now getting players and coaches to connect on the court and in the meeting rooms and build that locker room.
--In terms of Jalyn McCreary, he wanted to commit to South Carolina after a visit in January but the team didn't have a scholarship. Martin started to learn about him as a person, and the entire staff loved him. Then, when Jason Cudd's transfer happened, they moved quickly on McCreary.
When Felipe Haase opted to transfer, the timing of Haase's departure caught him off guard, then the team needed a grad transfer big. Martin was the first head coach to see him in person. "Loyalty was big for him."
--In terms of rebounding, he thinks this team will be a lot better in that point. The guards will be a big piece of that along with Minaya coming back from injury. He thinks they'll be much improved in that area.
--Jalyn McCreary is on campus working camp but not in class right now because he graduated too late to enroll in the first part of summer. Micaiah Henry is finishing up summer school and will be down after that in early July.
--Frank Martin says he will not play the D-II game this year, going against everything he stands for he said. Said it's to add another resume-building game on the schedule. Said he wasn't happy with the NIT for not picking South Carolina after last season.
--Martin thinks moving the three-point line back is a really good idea. Said he doesn't think widening the lane really helps. He thinks moving the line back will create a lot more space for offenses to run. He thinks flow will be better but footwork will have to be learned. Since the line gets moved back, then that means there's less space for corner threes.
--Asked about alcohol sales, he sys he doesn't know really but really doesn't want to see college atmospheres at football games turn into NFL games.
--TJ Moss has put on 20 pounds since he got on campus. Minaya's feeling really good, too. Minaya's been cleared for a while and TJ Moss has been cleared now and full participants in workouts.
