BJ McKie would be fine with me if we could get him
Serious candidates to replace Paris?
- Thread starter 18IsTheMan
- Start date
To be honest, I think I could do a better job, all I played was high school BB. Well don’t see how I could do worse!
The point that I am trying to make is South Carolina men's basketball in the last six years has not been a highly desire job. Also I do agree with a few comments on this forum that coaching may not be the problem and the biggest issue is Name, Image and Likeness.
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No, sir, I can't completely agree. I've seen too much. If I had a team with talent deficits, I'd be hunting ways to create good shots instead of long range attempts with the shot clock almost gone.
ChatGPT clearly wants us to fail lolHere's ChatGPT's answer to the OP question
Summary — Best Fits by Category
Category Strong Candidates Immediate credibility (Power 5 proven) Mike Boynton, Dennis Gates, Matt McMahon Mid-major rising talent Alan Huss, Dustin Kerns, Bob Richey Local / internal culture fit USC assistants, BJ McKie High-profile veteran (long shot) Rick Pitino (if available & interested)
Full response below
Here’s a helpful look at realistic and strong coaching candidates who could be good fits to lead the University of South Carolina men’s basketball program if they choose to make a change — either now or in the future. (Some of these names have been discussed historically by analysts and fans; others are mid-major rising stars who could step up to the SEC.) Since South Carolina currently has Lamont Paris as head coach for the 2025-26 season, but his job status has been a topic of debate among insiders given the program’s recent struggles, imagining future options isn’t out of bounds.
Proven and Established Coaches (SEC / Power 5 Experience)
These coaches have experience in major conferences and could provide immediate credibility and recruiting punch.
- Mike Boynton (Oklahoma State) – Has Power 5 head coaching experience and ties to South Carolina (spent time as an assistant under Darrin Horn). Seen in past lists of potential targets for USC due to his experience and SEC familiarity.
- Dennis Gates – Turned around Cleveland State and later coached at Missouri; known as a strong recruiter and rising name nationally. Suggested previously as a candidate for USC’s vacancy after Frank Martin was let go.
- Matt McMahon – Has been linked to higher-profile job openings (e.g., LSU in past cycles) after success at Murray State; could be a solid mid-major jump candidate.
Mid-Major Breakout Coaches
These coaches have built success at smaller programs and could bring fresh energy and under-the-radar recruiting:
- Alan Huss (High Point) – Experienced coach with strong recent records, including NCAA tournament appearances; fits the profile of up-and-coming coaches whom Power 5 programs sometimes pursue.
- Dustin Kerns (Appalachian State, formerly) – From regional mid-major circles with local recruiting ties and building programs in the Carolinas; noted historically as a potential candidate for bigger jobs.
- Bob Richey (Furman) – Consistently successful at the mid-major level and often floated by fans as a realistic target before; strong defensive coaching and player development pedigree.
Internal promotion or hiring someone with strong South Carolina ties can be valuable, especially for grassroots recruiting and culture fit:
- Assistant Coaches at USC – Promoting a strong assistant from within (like a lead recruiter or coordinator) can help continuity and retention. Historically, local assistants and former Gamecock players have drawn fan interest.
- BJ McKie – Former Gamecock star and current assistant coach (previously discussed among fans as a candidate because of his local ties and program identity).
Long-Shot / Experienced Names (If USC Wants a Show-Stopper)
If USC wanted a high-profile coach willing to step into a rebuilding project:
- Veteran head coaches with a track record of turnarounds (e.g., someone like Rick Pitino) could be intriguing, but such hires are rare and would depend on fit and desire to coach college again. Recent discussions around national coaching futures show interest from veteran coaches in select opportunities.
What USC Should Prioritize
No matter who’s considered, these traits are key for success with the Gamecocks:
Recruiting strength
South Carolina hasn’t historically been a recruiting powerhouse, so a coach who can land SEC-caliber talent (and keep South Carolina natives at home) is critical.
Turning around recent performance requires a coach who can develop players and create buy-in quickly.
Whether through Power 5 coaching or dominating at mid-majors, the coach should have a track record of success against top competition.
Realistically, we aren’t going to attract a high profile high major coach unless we can luck out and have a situation where they are looking for a change of scenery like Frank Martin had when he was hired. We won’t be able to attract the top echelon of mid major coaches either as the will be looking for a good high major job. My realistic options would be:
Scott Cross (Troy) - build up Troy into back to back good seasons so far. Year over year improvement at Tro
Matt Brauer would be a huge gamble as he is only a first year head coach at SFA with no HC experience prior, but he has that team humming a year after them being a bad basketball team and firing their coach.
Mike Boynton is an assistant at Michigan, but this would be a bad hire in my opinion after failure at Oklahoma State (granted he was doomed to fail there to begin with).
BJ McKie - Assistant at Wake… Hotter name 4 years ago when Steve Forbes was winning. No head coaching experience collegiately, but he’s an alumni like Boynton which fans seem to want to get behind.
Tony Skinn - George Mason - he’s being overshadowed by Saint Louis currently, and VCU has played well in conference, but he’s had some success at George Mason as a coach in his 3 years there. He’s been an assistant at Ohio State and Maryland. It’s a risk though since George Mason was a solid program under Kim English before Haskins got there.
Speaking of VCU, first year head coach Martelli could be an option. He took Bryant to the tourney before replacing Ryan Odom at VCU. That said, he’s still a relatively young Head Coach (been a head coach for 3 years) and has no experience coaching at a high major.
This is all just speculation on my end based on how we’ve hired in the past and the perception of the program.
Scott Cross (Troy) - build up Troy into back to back good seasons so far. Year over year improvement at Tro
Matt Brauer would be a huge gamble as he is only a first year head coach at SFA with no HC experience prior, but he has that team humming a year after them being a bad basketball team and firing their coach.
Mike Boynton is an assistant at Michigan, but this would be a bad hire in my opinion after failure at Oklahoma State (granted he was doomed to fail there to begin with).
BJ McKie - Assistant at Wake… Hotter name 4 years ago when Steve Forbes was winning. No head coaching experience collegiately, but he’s an alumni like Boynton which fans seem to want to get behind.
Tony Skinn - George Mason - he’s being overshadowed by Saint Louis currently, and VCU has played well in conference, but he’s had some success at George Mason as a coach in his 3 years there. He’s been an assistant at Ohio State and Maryland. It’s a risk though since George Mason was a solid program under Kim English before Haskins got there.
Speaking of VCU, first year head coach Martelli could be an option. He took Bryant to the tourney before replacing Ryan Odom at VCU. That said, he’s still a relatively young Head Coach (been a head coach for 3 years) and has no experience coaching at a high major.
This is all just speculation on my end based on how we’ve hired in the past and the perception of the program.