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South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris 'just has it' factor

On3 imageby:Collyn Taylor•05/08/22•

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Lamont Paris (Photo by Katie Dugan)

South Carolina assistant coaches can’t really put their finger on it.

They can sense the kind of person and coach Lamont Paris is, but can’t put it into words. The only thing they know is Paris has what they call the it-factor.

And he’s bringing it with him to South Carolina.

I can’t even put a finger on it…he knows what buttons to push. He’s an extremely good teacher. He’s patient. As long as you’re willing to learn and listen and try to do what he asks he’s very patient. He’s very patient with guys,” Eddie Shannon said.

“He’s knowledgeable about the game and a big-time student about the game…Those qualities, that’s why I think he’s here now.”

Shannon and Tanner Bronson both followed Paris from Chattanooga to South Carolina with the lone assistant who didn’t Tim Buckley.

Buckley, who most recently was at Indiana and UNLV, is incredibly familiar with Paris from their time in the Big 10.

He gravitated to Paris, sitting next to him during recruiting trips while both were at different schools. Buckley loves what he’s seen so far in a short time working together.

“Wherever he’s been, they’ve won. They’ve sustained winning. It wasn’t like a one-time deal. Even though this is year 37 for me, I still want to learn and still want to grow,” Buckley said. “I know I’ll be able to do it with this staff because they’ve done it differently than I have in the past. That’s refreshing and exciting.”

Buckley, when asked what he remembers about coaching against Wisconsin when Paris was on staff, can only laugh. He talks about the discipline they play with.

He had to slowly build the Chattanooga program into a tournament team this year. Paris and his staff are also hoping to have similar success with the Gamecocks

“I can’t tell you what it is. I can’t describe it. He just has it. He has a way about him. It’s belief. It’s trust. That will come through. Once that clicks and everybody feels that way about this being the way we have to do it to be successful,” Buckley said. “It’s more relationships than Xs and Os. I think he’s a master at both of those things. But that thing is really key.”

Bronson is someone who has been Paris’s right-hand man since they took over at Chattanooga and will be again at South Carolina.

Bronson, like Shannon, has seen Chattanooga go from a 10-win team in year won to averaging 21.6 wins the last three seasons. It’s in large part because Paris is strong-willed in what he wants from his program. Paris isn’t willing to cut corners.

“It’s his conviction in what he wants to do. He knows what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. When you’re around coach for a significant period of time he has an infectious personality that’s very genuine,” Bronson said.

“He also knows the game of basketball at a really high level. He doesn’t compromise on things for the quick fix. When you add on that together, you now have an established culture and foundation he’s building.”

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