South Carolina Basketball: AJ Lawson is an enormous addition

South Carolina Basketball injected some much-needed talent by adding AJ Lawson, the best available 2018 recruit. How does Lawson fit with the Gamecocks?

Tuesday evening, South Carolina added AJ Lawson who was the best available 2018 recruit after his recent reclassification from the 2019 class. Lawson is an extremely talented wing who also considered Creighton, Tulane, Oregon, and SMU before deciding on the Gamecocks. He excelled playing for the Canadian U-18 team this summer and took visits shortly after.

South Carolina offered the best combination of immediate playing time and a winning program. Lawson looks like he will start immediately and he will give significant offensive responsibility to a team that often struggles to put the ball in the basket.

The Gamecocks had a top 25 defense last season but ranked 161st in adjusted offense according to KenPom. Lawson will certainly help address the offensive woes as he is a strong perimeter shooter who can also put the ball on the floor. The long lanky wing may struggle at times with older and more physical SEC players, but his shooting and scoring will be invaluable.

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Lawson will likely play the role that Brian Bowen was expected to play. Bowen was a former 5-star recruit who was deemed ineligible after being involved with the FBI scandal at Louisville. South Carolina is losing their second-leading scorer and best shooter, Frank Booker, which makes the Lawson addition even more crucial.

In terms of South Carolina’s winning prospects for this season, the Gamecocks are a darkhorse to return to the NCAA Tournament. Expecting this type of jump would be too optimistic, but it is certainly possible, although unlikely.

South Carolina has one of the best frontcourts in the SEC with their star center, Chris Silva, and skilled big men, Maik Kotsar and Felipe Haase. This is one of the main reasons for their stellar defense and all three are capable offensive options. Incoming freshman Alanzo Frink is significantly underrated as he played extremely well for the Dominican Republic’s U-18 team. Frink is a big bodied PF who can compete inside, put the ball on the floor, and flashed a perimeter jumper.

Their point guard and perimeter play is a concern and is their main obstacle to return to the NCAA Tournament. Justin Minaya had a strong freshman season and will likely start alongside Lawson while Hassani Gravett and Tre Campbell are both steady lead guards who see playing time at both guard positions. This collection of players does not have enough offensive ability for South Carolina to climb the SEC standings.

Hopefully, one of the incoming freshmen can surprise and offer quality minutes on the perimeter. Jermaine Cousinard is a late stock riser and TJ Moss is a promising combo guard. Both players were ranked just outside the Top 200. Keyshawn Bryant is an excellent athlete who looks like a more long-term piece, but he could also be a factor.

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Lawson is undeniably an impact player, but his addition may not be enough to get South Carolina to the Big Dance. The SEC looks like a loaded league this season with 6 Top 25 teams. Even though the Gamecocks have a capable roster on-paper, they will likely fall victim to the formidable depth and talent of the SEC. South Carolina looks like the 10th or 11th ranked team in the conference which will likely relegate them to the NIT.

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