After a couple weeks of an overactive rumor mill and a few days of relative quiet, the South Carolina Gamecocks finally have their man to helm the men’s basketball program: former Chattanooga coach Lamont Paris.
Paris, the 33rd coach in South Carolina history and the Gamecocks’ first Black coach, went 87-72 overall in five years with the Mocs, which includes a 65-29 record the past three seasons. Under his guidance this season, the Mocs captured their first Southern Conference title and NCAA appearance since 2016, and finished with a 27-8 mark. For his efforts, Paris is up for the Hugh Durham award, given to Division I’s best mid-major coach, and he also earned SoCon Coach of the Year honors.