SEC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2022-23 season

13. South Carolina

Last year was not bad at all for South Carolina, as the Gamecocks finished 18-13 and in the middle of the pack in the SEC, but it was the end of the line for coach Frank Martin. Now, the program moves forward with former Chattanooga coach Lamont Paris hoping to make the Gamecocks a more consistent contender in the conference. He has a lot of work ahead.

The roster looks far different than last season, albeit not a surprise after a coaching change, but players like Erik Stevenson and Jermaine Couisnard were lost to the transfer portal. The Gamecocks picked up a talented forward in Hayden Brown from The Citadel, a scoring guard from Coastal Carolina in Ebrima Dibba, and will depend on a step forward from center Josh Gray. Throw in a pair of Big Ten transfers, including Meechie Johnson Jr., a talented guard from Ohio State, and there’s depth on this roster. It’s all going to come down to how this roster comes together.

Let’s be real, this doesn’t necessarily look like a team that has the talent to compete in the SEC, but this is just the beginning for Paris with these Gamecocks. Even if this year turns out much worse than last year, there’s certainly reason for optimism looking forward, even for those who thought firing Frank Martin was a mistake.