In the 2025 cycle, South Carolina basketball boasts the best recruiting class in the country. Even though it’s early, guard Eli Ellis and forward Hayden Assemian, both 4-star recruits, committed to the Gamecocks in the fall, making them the only program in America with that many players in the class.
Four-star forward EJ Walker is one of the final objectives in the class, according to Gamecock coach Lamont Paris, who also seems to want to take a few more players.
Walker revealed his list of the top 12 universities on Friday, and South Carolina basketball was included.
Dirty Dozen đ
The following teams are all in Walker’s top 12: Purdue Boilermakers, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Cal Golden Bears, Wisconsin Badgers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Iowa Hawkeyes, West Virginia Mountaineers, Illinois Fighting Illini, Xavier Minutement, Dayton Flyers, Louisville Cardinals, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Ohio State Buckeyes.
Walker attends Lloyd Memorial High School in the Bluegrass State, where he plays prep ball. Walker is originally from Erlanger, Kentucky. With the strength and durability of a real post player combined with the ball handling and shooting skills of a small forward, the 6’8″ forward can play any position in the frontcourt under the appropriate circumstances.
Walker’s two most impressive features on film are his effortless shooting style and his ease of use as a rim runner in pick-and-roll situations. Walker isn’t a very powerful or athletic player, but when he dives to the basket, he has enough strength to withstand contact and enough talent to put the ball on the floor even if the opponent does a good job of covering the roll.
Walker and Gamecock class of ’25 forward commitment Hayden Assemian are similar in build, but their styles of play are completely different. Both players are roughly 6’8″ and 220 pounds, although Walker has demonstrated a little more skill as a shooter and ballhandler and might play some on the perimeter. Assemian, on the other hand, is an athletic dunker and finisher.
In his two years at Columbia, coach Lamont Paris has demonstrated a willingness to have players who can play from the inside out. The most notable instances of that are forwards Hayden Brown and BJ Mack, who were both pick-and-pop shooters and back-to-the-basket scorers. Walker not only fits that description but also adds the wrinkle of a skilled roll man.
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