Elite South Carolina basketball recruiting target: 'It was just crazy down there'
South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris just signed his four-man 2025 recruiting class. Eli Ellis, Hayden Assemian, Grant Polk, and EJ Walker all put pen to paper as the next crop of new Gamecocks that will make their way to Columbia next summer. However, Paris and his staff are working on the underclassmen recruiting cycles, as well.
On Friday, On3’s Jamie Shaw dropped a report on a major young Gamecock target. Shaw spoke with class of 2027 guard King Gibson, and On3’s No. 8 overall prospect had plenty to say.
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A product of The Burlington School in North Carolina, Gibson picked up a South Carolina basketball offer earlier in November. He’s also visited Columbia. The 6’5″ guard told Shaw that the program’s emphasis on development was eye-opening. “So being there, [I learned] they develop their high schoolers. The South Carolina facilities are great. They have a great weight room and a lot of high-tech stuff. A lot of stuff that is there to make you get better.”
Gibson’s visit came during a football weekend. He was in town for the Texas A&M game along with Palmetto State native and fellow top-10 prospect Josh Leonard. Seeing Gamecock fans in action was a big deal for Gibson. He told Shaw, “I was there for a football game. The atmosphere was great there, it was like something I had never seen before. There was a whole bunch of people there, they were all loud, and there were no seats available. It was just crazy down there.” That atmosphere could go a long way in his recruitment.
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There is a Gibson connection with South Carolina, too. Jamarii Thomas, who transferred to the Gamecocks this offseason, also played at The Burlington School. While the two guards are very different sizes, they have some similarities in their games. Thomas likes to attack the rim on offense and fights hard on defense. Gibson explained to Shaw his own similarities, “I like schools and systems that let their guards play. That gives them a little freedom to get to their buckets and make decisions. Also, a school that is going to sit down and play defense.”
[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-Clemson MBB game]
As a player, King Gibson is a downhill monster. With plus-athleticism, good foot speed, and solid length, Gibson is a threat to score in any fast break situation. However, he’s not just an athlete on the floor. Gibson has an improving shooting touch and a comfortable handle. When defenses collapse on him, he is a capable passer, as well. He possesses extremely high potential as a scorer, as a secondary creator, and as a defender.
Gibson, still several years away from making a final college decision, is considering a long list of programs. In addition to South Carolina, he’s also visited the Georgia Bulldogs. He plans to take additional trips to see Tennessee, Wake Forest, West Virginia, and Michigan.
