South Carolina basketball preseason profiles: Arden Conyers
Lamont Paris’ South Carolina basketball team begins their season in less than two weeks. On November 4th, the North Florida Ospreys will travel to Colonial Life Arena for the opener, and the 2024-2025 Gamecock season officially will be underway. In the weeks leading up to the first game, GamecockCentral will profile each member of the team. Today we will look at redshirt freshman wing Arden Conyers.
Arden Conyers (Redshirt Freshman, Small Forward/Shooting Guard), 6’7”, 212 pounds)
Last Season: Did not play; Redshirted true freshman season with South Carolina Gamecocks; graduated high school as 3-star prospect in class of 2023; averaged 21.4, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists as a senior at Westwood High School
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Perhaps the Gamecock to take the biggest jump from last year to this year is Arden Conyers. During a redshirt last season, the Columbia native added a fair amount of muscle and grew his understanding of the college game. Now, he is ready to contribute to South Carolina basketball’s quest of returning to the NCAA Tournament.
Conyers’ physical profile (listed at 6’7″ and 212 pounds) gives him some natural flexibility on the court. He could see time at either wing spot this season and, depending on the situation, could even play some small-ball power forward as fellow wings Zach Davis and Myles Stute have done in the past.
The redshirt freshman is a confident player, something not always true of players who take a year on the bench. Coach Paris even has complimented Conyers’ swagger, both in his willingness to take and make tough shots and his work ethic.
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On offense, Conyers will provide the Gamecocks with a solid combination of size, athleticism, and shooting chops. He is capable of being one of the team’s top shooters this season, and he can knock down looks from all three levels. Conyers is also a difficult shot-maker, meaning he can still get off clean looks when plays break down. His pull-up game is advanced for a young player, and he can make shots even with hands in his face.
Defensively, the former Westwood High School standout has the tools to be an impactful player. His strength is improving, and his length allows him to guard multiple positions. If his effort level and defensive IQ match his physical ability, he will fit right into Paris’ system.
Predicting Arden Conyers’ role this season is tough, but he will play. The Gamecocks have two veteran wings in Zach Davis and Myles Stute who are expected to get the majority of the minutes at the 3-spot this year. Top-50 freshman Cam Scott and veteran Jacobi Wright will see a lot of time at shooting guard. Eventually, though, Conyers will settle into his role and be an important player for South Carolina.
Conyers and the Gamecocks hope to follow up a record-tying 26-win season and 2nd-place SEC finish with another strong year. Another trip to the NCAA Tournament would mark South Carolina’s first back-to-back berths in the Big Dance since the 1990s.
