South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris on the trail, recruiting elite Gamecock targets

South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris was in Rock Hill on Thursday. The Gamecock headman was checking out some big-time prospects in the 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes. Paris was one of many college coaches at the Adidas 3 Stripe Select Basketball circuit.

Among the players participating on Thursday were elite class of 2026 wing Korie Corbett and priority 2027 targets like Josh Leonard and Martay Barnes. There were other players in attendance who have the Gamecocks’ attention, but Corbett, Leonard, and Barnes are all top 100 players in their respective classes.

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South Carolina has been in on both Corbett and Leonard for some time.

Corbett, a Columbia native who played at Ridge View High School before transferring to Oak Hill Academy, is a four-star shooting guard. He holds offers from multiple power conference programs, but South Carolina and Ole Miss seem to be at the top. The On3 industry ranking considers Korbett as the No. 93 overall player in the 2026 class.

Leonard, a Wilson High School product, is a potential five-star in the 2027 cycle. The On3 industry ranking slots the 6-6 wing in as the No. 13 overall national player. With more offers still to come, he has spoken highly of South Carolina, Clemson, and NC State in recent months. From a physical standpoint, Leonard already looks the part of a future NBA player.

Barnes is a more recent USC offer. The younger brother of former Gamecock running back Rocket Sanders, he is a 6-2 combo guard ranked as the No. 28 overall prospect in the ’27 class. Though Barnes didn’t pick up his offer until June, he has already taken an unofficial visit to Columbia.

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