USC men’s coach Lamont Paris adds offensive firepower through transfer portal

South Carolina men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris added some much-needed 3-point firepower through the transfer portal Monday.

Former Vanderbilt forward Myles Stute — a two-year starter for the Commodores — announced his intention to transfer to South Carolina on social media Monday, marking the third transfer addition for the Gamecocks.

The move addresses an area of weakness for the Gamecocks last season. USC ranked 271st in the country in 3-point shooting percentage last year, while Stute has been one of the SEC’s top 3-point shooters in his career.

As a sophomore during the 2021-22 season, the versatile 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward finished first in the SEC with a .432 3-point shooting percentage. That percentage dipped to 36% last year, but Stute still ranked seventh in the SEC with 149 3-pointers on the season, and he averaged 8.4 points per game for the Commodores.

The Gamecocks have lost seven players from their 2022-23 roster, and Stute’s addition gives Paris and his staff two more open scholarship spots to work with.

Earlier in the offseason, USC added former Minnesota guard Ta’Lon Cooper, an experienced point guard who led Dorman High to consecutive state titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Paris and his staff also turned to The Citadel for a second-straight year, adding 6-foot-8 forward Stephen Clark through the portal one year after picking up the now-graduated Hayden Brown. Clark averaged 16.6 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Bulldogs last year and was a second-team all-Southern Conference selection.

Paris and his staff figure to remain active in the portal as they look to build off of last year’s 11-21 season. Most notably, Wofford big man B.J. Mack lists the Gamecocks among his final five choices, although USC is also competing with SEC schools Arkansas, Alabama and LSU for Mack’s services.

South Carolina men’s basketball roster moves

——Coming——

• Ta’Lon Cooper (Minnesota, transfer)

• Stephen Clark (Citadel, transfer)

• Myles Stute (Vanderbilt, transfer)

• Collin Murray-Boyles (HS signee)

• Arden Conyers (HS signee)

——Going——

• GG Jackson (NBA Draft)

• Ja’Von Benson (transfer portal)

• Tre-Vaughn Minott (transfer portal)

• Chico Carter Jr. (transfer portal)

• Daniel Hankins-Sanford (transfer portal)

• Ford Cooper (transfer portal)

• Hayden Brown (out of eligibility)