C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
--I had a chance to watch Legacy Early College play this weekend for the first time in a long time, and caught up with 2022 target Perry Smith Jr. afterwards to talk about his game and his recruitment. He's someone we've mentioned on this board before as someone South Carolina has at least expressed interest in, and he's been offered by the staff. Speaking with Smith, the Gamecocks are still keeping tabs on him somewhat and he said the Gamecocks still reach out to him and his family. He says he hears from three staff members with Frank Martin reaching out from time to time as well.
Some of the bigger schools he's hearing from are Texas A&M, Iona and Alabama (with a few others showing interest as well) and he mentioned to me there's no timetable for him cutting his list down or even making a commitment. What he did say, though, was he and his family have begun discussing the possibility of cutting things down and focusing on a handful of schools as he gets into his junior then senior year.
As for the type of player he is, Smith was described to me as a traditional big, more so a four than a five. He's someone after watching who has good touch around the rim and can be a physical rebounder at times. Needs to improve there, but he's a solid prospect. Rivals has him at No. 145 in the class. As for the other bigs the Gamecocks have shown interest in recently, Donovan Clingan and Jai Smith are two guys to keep an eye on; I'd say Jai Smith is the biggest one of the three, at least right now, for that.
--Speaking of Legacy, Jacobi Wright had a fantastic weekend at the Battle for the Rock, going off for 28 points when I watched him play, then another 33 on Sunday. He's not a guy you look at and think he's physically imposing, but he does a lot of things really well and has a knack for putting the ball in the basket and playing with pace. He's an excellent passer and someone who's really good defensively, especially at the high school level. He understands switches, where he needs to be, and for the most part can keep a ball handler in front of him. He's not a finished product, but there were people around the program when Wright committed who thought it was an absolute steal, and Wright has been turning a lot of heads since the start of the summer from a national media perspective.
--I wanted to pass this along, but 2021 target Jonas Aidoo will announce a commitment this week. I do not believe the Gamecocks will be the pick. We'll pass along anything if we hear differently, but it's not expected to be South Carolina right now. They wanted a big in the class and the Gamecocks landed one from Ta'Quan Woodley at the end of the early signing period and are already at four commitments in the class with Wright, Woodley, Devin Carter and Carlous Williams.
Some of the bigger schools he's hearing from are Texas A&M, Iona and Alabama (with a few others showing interest as well) and he mentioned to me there's no timetable for him cutting his list down or even making a commitment. What he did say, though, was he and his family have begun discussing the possibility of cutting things down and focusing on a handful of schools as he gets into his junior then senior year.
As for the type of player he is, Smith was described to me as a traditional big, more so a four than a five. He's someone after watching who has good touch around the rim and can be a physical rebounder at times. Needs to improve there, but he's a solid prospect. Rivals has him at No. 145 in the class. As for the other bigs the Gamecocks have shown interest in recently, Donovan Clingan and Jai Smith are two guys to keep an eye on; I'd say Jai Smith is the biggest one of the three, at least right now, for that.
--Speaking of Legacy, Jacobi Wright had a fantastic weekend at the Battle for the Rock, going off for 28 points when I watched him play, then another 33 on Sunday. He's not a guy you look at and think he's physically imposing, but he does a lot of things really well and has a knack for putting the ball in the basket and playing with pace. He's an excellent passer and someone who's really good defensively, especially at the high school level. He understands switches, where he needs to be, and for the most part can keep a ball handler in front of him. He's not a finished product, but there were people around the program when Wright committed who thought it was an absolute steal, and Wright has been turning a lot of heads since the start of the summer from a national media perspective.
--I wanted to pass this along, but 2021 target Jonas Aidoo will announce a commitment this week. I do not believe the Gamecocks will be the pick. We'll pass along anything if we hear differently, but it's not expected to be South Carolina right now. They wanted a big in the class and the Gamecocks landed one from Ta'Quan Woodley at the end of the early signing period and are already at four commitments in the class with Wright, Woodley, Devin Carter and Carlous Williams.
