Isaac Ellis explains decision to reclassify, decommit from South Carolina basketball

On Tuesday, South Carolina basketball lost a commitment in the class of 2026. Isaac Ellis, who had been committed to the Gamecocks since the summer, backed off his pledge to join his older brother Eli Ellis at USC and reclassified to the 2027 class.

Following the younger Ellis’ decision, only four-star guard Marcus Johnson remains part of Carolina’s ’26 recruiting haul. Johnson signed with the Gamecocks last week; Ellis, obviously, did not.

Ellis explained that his decision was largely a monetary one, but maybe not in the way one might expect.

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Ellis’ choice to remain in high school a year longer was not strictly about NIL and the University of South Carolina.

On a video published on his social media, he said, “First off, I’m not going to the NBA. I’m pretty self-aware about that…I know I have a really, really small chance of going to the league.” He continued, “I know that I have a really small [window to earn money playing basketball.]”

Ellis attends Moravian Prep in North Carolina and plays for Overtime Elite, a league based in Atlanta, Georgia. Both North Carolina and Georgia allow high school athletes to benefit from NIL deals. Of course, college athletes can do that now, too. Ellis’ reclassification gives him another year before his college clock starts.

Another part of the reclassification equation for Ellis is the shifting ages of college basketball players. While one-and-done freshmen still exist, there have been an increasing number of teams across the sport that place a premium on veteran experience over young talent. This could become even more true if the NCAA passes (as expected) an eligibility amendment that allows players to spend five years playing at the collegiate level.

Said Ellis, “It’s a new day and age. Being young is not a good thing right now.”

Summing up his thoughts, Ellis stated plainly, “Either you can make excuses and say that basketball is not right, or you can adjust to it. That’s all me and my family are doing.

“If I go to school now and go to college now, I will have my freshman year, sophomore, junior, and senior years to make money. If I reclass, now I have one more year to make money with NIL deals, OTE, and all of that. Then, I have my freshman, sophomore, junior year, and senior year. By that time, the five-year rule in the NCAA will be passed. So, now, I went from four years of making money to six years.”

Ellis also thinks that waiting a year to play college ball could make him a better player, too. “I get to go into college as a better freshman. [I will be] stronger, faster, and more skilled with a better IQ. And I’ll be older. College coaches want older players right now.”

He went on, “I really think this could start a trend. I think a lot of guys will start reclassing just so that they can get an extra year and they can be better developed freshmen. Because nobody wants to go into college and not play…I don’t want to do that.”

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At this time, it is unclear if South Carolina will remain a factor in Ellis’ recruitment.

When he committed to the Gamecocks last summer, Ellis picked USC over Oklahoma State, Radford, and Eastern Kentucky. Despite the initially modest offer list, the left-handed guard could generate additional power conference interest thanks to a really strong season at OTE. Ellis is averaging about 30 points per game and is an MVP favorite.

All indications have been that older brother Eli Ellis is happy at South Carolina. Because of that, it stands to reason that if mutual interest remains between Isaac Ellis and the Gamecocks, a reunion could be possible down the road.

Following his reclassification, the Rivals Industry Ranking considers Ellis the No. 189 overall prospect in the ’27 class. He is also No. 5 nationally among combo guards and No. 9, regardless of position, in North Carolina.

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