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Lamont Paris adds former South Carolina guard Carey Rich to support staff

On3 imageby:Collyn Taylor•04/07/22•

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Carey Rich (Photo by Katie Dugan)

In his introductory press conference, Lamont Paris said he wanted to have someone on staff with South Carolina ties.

Thursday he made sure that happened.

The Gamecocks officially announced the addition of Carey Rich to the staff as the team’s special assistant to the head coach.

“I’m very excited to have Carey joining my staff here at South Carolina,” Paris said in a statement. “He is so connected and well-respected in our community and with basketball in the Palmetto State. This role is something that will evolve over time, but I’m excited to have him hit the ground running. Alumni engagement is something that I’m going to emphasize going forward and I expect Carey to play a very vital part in that.”

Rich won’t be involved in an on-court role but will be able to help Paris with anything he might need, including alumni relations and recruiting.

According to the release put out by South Carolina, Rich will help with a “variety of special projects, with heavy involvement in alumni relations, community outreach and recruiting efforts.”

The South Carolina native started his career at Western Carolina before coming to South Carolina. He played four seasons for the Gamecocks, averaging 9.9 points and 4.3 assists over his 79-game career in Columbia.

Since graduating, Rich has been an integral figure in the South Carolina basketball community. He’s worked with high school players and put on the annual SC ProAm which highlights basketball players from local colleges.

He was named an Allstate SEC Legend in 2018 and is in Richland One’s Hall of Fame. He was most recently the recreation superintendent for the City of Columbia’s Parks and Recreation Department.

“Everything happens for a reason, and I’m deeply honored the time has come for me to return to my alma mater with the opportunity to assist coach Paris as he assumes this new leadership role of the program,” Rich said. “My heart and soul will be in this assignment. I’m humbled and ecstatic about this journey and this next phase of basketball at the University of South Carolina.”

Paris hasn’t announced any of his assistant coaches yet, although there is a Board of Trustees meeting Friday afternoon to discuss the “Approval of Contract(s) for Athletics Coach.”

The live period for basketball begins this weekend, which will give Paris and a potentially newly-formed staff the chance to go out on the road recruiting. South Carolina is also expected to host an official visitor as well.

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