Major South Carolina basketball target wins Player of the Year honors
One of the top South Carolina basketball recruiting targets (and overall players in the country) is Josh Leonard.
The Palmetto State native ranks No. 3 nationally in the On3 player rankings for the class of 2027. He also owns a top-10 spot in the On3 industry ranking, a weighted composite of the national player rankings from On3, 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. The 6-6 wing player is the consensus top player in the state in the ’27 cycle.
This week, Leonard picked up a pair of big-time honors. The Wilson High School sophomore was named the South Carolina Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Sports Illustrated Player of the Year for South Carolina. On the season, he averaged 21.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He also led his Tigers team to the Final Four of the state playoffs.
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This winter, Leonard was one of the standout performers at The Bash, an elite showcase in which he had the opportunity to play against other top prospects. On3’s Jamie Shaw named him the overall MVP of the event.
A couple of months ago, Leonard spoke to Shaw about the Gamecocks. “When I went on my visit, I learned that South Carolina is more than just a basketball program. It’s like they take you in as a family, you’re automatically one of their own. Watching them play, I like that they play fast and they let you play your game.” He also added that a family feel and freedom to play his game are two of the most important factors in his recruitment. Based on Leonard’s own assessment of USC, Lamont Paris’ program checks those boxes.
