One of SC’s top high school basketball players is joining Overtime Elite in Atlanta

Another basketball standout from the Midlands is joining Overtime Elite.

Former Irmo standout Brandon Crawford announced Friday he will spend next year at OTE, located in Atlanta, a program that gives players an alternative route to college or professional opportunities.

Crawford is the second area player to join OTE, which is in its third year. Keenan’s Jazian Gortman skipped his senior year of high school in 2021 and spent two years there, earning a reported $650,000.

Gortman signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks last week and will be on the team’s summer league roster. He was one of four players from OTE to catch on with NBA teams. Brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson became the first Overtime Elite players picked in the NBA Draft when they were lottery picks last week.

Crawford won’t be taking a salary, instead using the scholarship option that OTE now provides. A player can attend OTE’s academy and still maintain NCAA eligibility.

Three OTE players have signed or committed with Power 5 schools. Robert Dillingham is headed to Kentucky and Kanaan Carlyle to Stanford for 2023. Trey Parker committed to NC State and reclassified to Class of 2024.

“I still plan to play college basketball,” Crawford told The State.

Crawford had planned to take a post-grad year at Link Academy in Missouri before joining OTE. The 6-foot-11 center has been gaining college interest and picked up offers from Penn State, Wichita State recently and also took a visit to Virginia Tech. He is playing this summer on the adidas AAU circuit with SC-based Upward Stars.

Crawford had a big senior season in helping Irmo to the Class 4A state championship. The Class 4A Player of Year and all-state selection averaged 14.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 blocks.

In the championship game, Crawford had 12 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots.

It was Crawford’s return to the lineup that was a big catalyst to Irmo’s postseason run. Coach Tim Whipple called Crawford the most dominant big man he has ever coached in his 40-plus years of coaching.

Crawford missed three weeks with mononucleosis. Irmo had a two-game losing streak before Crawford’s return and then lost his first game back before winning its final 10 games of the year. He scored in double figures in nine of his 10 games back and had four blocked shots or more during the span.

“With me coming back, it started to click and we started playing better basketball together ... and we hopped on it,” Crawford said after the championship game.