Lamont Paris on earning respect from peers: 'There's nothing like it'
One way or another, South Carolina has changed the minds of many around the country.
The Gamecocks, now 17-3, have been one of the better stories in college basketball for their play on the court. And with all that comes earning back respect.
After Saturday’s win over Missouri, Tigers head coach Dennis Gates had a lot of good to say about South Carolina.
“Coach (Lamont) Paris is doing a great job, tremendous job getting his guys in certain spots,” Gates said. “Guys aren’t making mistakes, you look at the assist to turnover ratio, guys are playing within their roles and responsibilities and not trying to do extra things. It’s all about field goals made but how many of those field goals are assisted. This team shares the ball really well and that’s part of the equation and ingredient to having a successful team. And they’re good defensively.”
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It isn’t the first time a coach has gone out of their way to speak good about Paris and the Gamecocks. Earlier in the week, Kentucky head coach John Calipari had this to say about South Carolina after losing at Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday.
“(Paris is) doing a heck of a job. He really is. It’s a veteran kind of team. And he’s getting them to play the way they have to play,” Calipari said. “They’re the best defensive team in our league, and that’s saying something because this is a (league) with about 10 teams where their whole thing is ‘We’re going to be a great defensive team that can score.’”
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Everyone loves to be respected, especially when it comes from your peers. So when Paris heard what these other coaches had to say about his team, it clearly meant a lot to him.
“Yes, it’s very rewarding on a personal level,” Paris said. “You work really hard to identify kids that you want to play for you, with you, work with you. Then you work really hard to acquire, I hate to use that word, but it’s an acquisition that you make when you get them to come here. So it feels great, personally, to see that happen.
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“But again, the biggest part of it is what I know it means to the guys to know that there’s nothing like respect from your peers. There’s nothing like it, and you can’t manufacture it and you can’t enforce it. And when you get it, it’s the ultimate reward. I’m sure our guys feel really good about the fact that they hear really good coaches. Dennis Gates has been there. He’s seen a lot. He’s seen a lot of good teams as a head coach, as an assistant coach. So to hear those kinds of things, too, for the guys, it’s extremely rewarding.”
