Breaking down the 2025 South Carolina basketball recruiting class following Signing Day

On Sunday, the last of South Carolina basketball’s 2025 recruiting class signed with the Gamecocks. Guard Eli Ellis joined forward Hayden Assemian, wing Grant Polk, and forward EJ Walker in the class.

South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris has assembled a four-man class of talented future Gamecocks. While the transfer portal will be a factor next offseason, the class of 2025 will be extremely important moving forward.

Here is a breakdown of each player in the class:

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Eli Ellis (4-star, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, 6’1″, 190 pounds)

What the rankings say: 4-star in On3 industry rankings, No. 68 nationally, No. 3 in North Carolina, No. 16 among all point guards; Eli Ellis is a consensus 4-star prospect

Eli Ellis is a dynamic scorer and a dynamic personality. He will be the most famous Gamecock the moment he steps on the floor thanks to a huge social media following and boisterous demeanor.

The No. 1-ranked player in North Carolina in On3’s player rankings (composite 3rd), Ellis can put the ball in the basket. He is a really good shooter from outside (with extended range, too), but he also has elite finishing ability.

What he lacks in size (listed at 6’1″) and explosive athleticism, he makes up for with skill and confidence. Ellis has a very good handle to go with his scoring touch. He’s also becoming a better passer as a point guard.

Ellis could challenge for immediate playing time in Columbia because of his ability to score from all three levels. The Gamecocks also will need someone to step into the void left by Jacobi Wright and Jamarii Thomas graduating.

Grant Polk (3-star, Small Forward/Shooting Guard, 6’6″, 185 pounds)

What the rankings say: 3-star in On3 industry rankings, No. 240 nationally, No. 6 in Washington DC, No. 47 among all small forwards; Grant Polk is a consensus 3-star prospect

Grant Polk is a shooter. Viewed by many as one of the top pure 3-point artists in the 2025 recruiting class, Polk is a marksman. He has a very repeatable stroke, and he is goo about getting his feet squared beneath him.

Polk possesses some length that makes him even more intriguing as a player. At 6’6″ (some say 6’7″), he is a long wing who should be able to get clean looks at the basket against most defenders.

As a catch-and-shoot player, the Washington DC native can get his shot off quickly. He will fit well next to a ballhandler with gravity like Ellis.

Polk could use some time to develop physically (he weighs just 185 pounds at 6’6″), but his shooting ability could push him to early playing time, especially with Myles Stute’s graduation.

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EJ Walker (3-star, Power Forward/Small Forward/Shooting Guard, 6’8″, 220 pounds)

What the rankings say: 3-star in On3 industry rankings, No. 178 nationally, No. 2 in Kentucky, No. 40 among all power forwards; EJ Walker is considered a 4-star prospect by one major outlet

EJ Walker can do a little bit of everything on the court. At the high school level, he has played virtually every position on the floor. He’s 6’8″ but has guard skills as a shooter and ballhandler.

Walker could play on the wing for the Gamecocks or as a stretch big. Either way, opposing defenses should have a hard time guarding him. He is bigger than most wings and more athletic and comfortable on the perimeter than most bigs.

The son of a coach, Walker is a smart player who understands mismatch-hunting; with his combination of size and skill, that basketball IQ will come in handy as he finds his role in the SEC.

South Carolina likely will lose three bigs this offseason (Nick Pringle and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk will be out of eligibility and Collin Murray-Boyles probably will be taken in the 1st round of the NFL Draft) and one true wing, so if things go well for Walker, he could play as a freshman.

Hayden Assemian (3-star, Power Forward, 6’6″, 235 pounds)

What the rankings say: 3-star in On3 industry rankings, No. 275 nationally, No. 17 in North Carolina, No. 66 among all power forwards; Hayden Assemian is a consensus 3-star prospect

Hayden Assemian is an explosive athlete at forward. He is listed at 6’6″ but probably is closer to 6’8″ and extremely bouncy. The South Carolina native moved to Moravian Prep to team up with Eli Ellis ahead of the duo’s college future together.

Assemian’s best trait is his ability to be bigger, stronger, and more athletic than most other players. In college, he will meet players of a similar size, but he already has begun on adding to his game to meet the new challenge.

Assemian is developing his shot and his handle to become a more well-rounded offensive player. If he can become a reliable open-shot-maker, that drastically changes how he can be deployed.

Similarly to Walker, Assemian could earn early playing time in Columbia thanks to the graduating forwards from this year’s squad. Coach Paris likes defense and rebounding, and Assemian can deliver that style of play.

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While the class of 2025 won’t be on campus in Columbia until next summer, the current South Carolina basketball team will return to the court on Thursday against the Mercer Bears. The 2-2 Gamecocks will take the floor at 7:00 p.m. for the SEC Network+ contest.

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