What Lamont Paris wants as DNA of program
Lamont Paris understands year one at South Carolina is about more than wins and losses.
The Gamecocks are in year one of a new regime with the priority of instilling not only the system but some of the things he wants ingrained in his program’s DNA.
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“From a personnel standpoint, we’re not completely suited to do everything I want to do. It would be hard-headed for me to try and force certain things on the personnel we have,” Paris said.
“At the same time, there are some things that are going to be in our DNA as a team as we move forward. Those things will be implemented. Fortunately, those things have less to do with ability and more to do with the willingness to try those things.”
So, outside of scheme and offensive sets, what goes into the DNA of South Carolina’s program?
A lot of it revolves around what Paris wants from his players defensively.
“I think just competitive nature all the way around on both sides of the ball. I think that normally shows itself defensively more than anything. Because if you’re extremely competitive, you’ll force yourself to do some things that you may not want to do,” Paris said.
“That is going to be important to winning games, like blocking out or taking a charge or some of the things. I don’t think as a competitor you have to talk yourself into shooting the ball better or more often.”
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Paris likes to have a free, confident offensive system but still dubs himself as a defensive-minded coach.
Players have to earn the right to play offensively with their defensive effort, and it really doesn’t matter to Paris who scores as long as the ball is going in the hoop.
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“I think that’s a big part of it, just our competitive spirit, particularly on the defensive end. I think connectivity, I think unselfishness offensively. These guys know I don’t care who scores. I’ll tell you who won’t have any points; it’ll be me. So I don’t care who scores,” he said.
“I don’t have some predetermined stat sheet in my head on who’s going to do what. I like to have five guys out there that can affect offensively winning. So we’ll move the ball, we’ll cut, we’ll play unselfishly, but we’ll be aggressive, also.”
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South Carolina begins its regular season Nov. 8 against South Carolina State before a home tilt against arch-rival Clemson Nov. 11.
So while competitive nature, connectedness, aggression and unselfish play might be what Paris said will be his “calling cards,” his goal is to still bring in skill and talent into the program who display what he values in a basketball player.
I like skilled guys typically. We’re not quite as skilled as what we will be someday, but that means we’ll play a little bit different in some different facets,” Paris said. “I value skill, I value being able to make the ball go in the basket, I value being able to pass. I value having a basketball IQ, and I value toughness and competitiveness.”
