News Summary
The South Carolina Gamecocks Men’s Basketball team has bolstered its roster with the addition of six new transfers for the 2025-26 season. Head coach Lamont Paris announced these significant signings, aimed at enhancing the team’s competitiveness. The players include guards Meechie Johnson, Kobe Knox, and Mike Sharavjamts, alongside forwards Christ Essandoko, Elijah Strong, and Nordin Kapic. These transfers bring experience and talent as the Gamecocks look to improve their performance and seek success in the upcoming season.
Columbia, South Carolina – The South Carolina Gamecocks Men’s Basketball team has made a significant move in preparation for the 2025-26 season by welcoming six new transfers, as announced by head coach Lamont Paris on Thursday. The additions aim to bolster the team’s roster and enhance their competitive edge in the upcoming season.
The six transfers joining the Gamecocks are:
- Guard Meechie Johnson (previously from Ohio State)
- Forward Christ Essandoko (previously from Providence)
- Guard Kobe Knox (previously from USF)
- Forward Elijah Strong (previously from Boston College)
- Guard Mike Sharavjamts (previously from Utah)
- Forward Nordin Kapic (previously from UC San Diego)
All transfers have signed financial aid documents and are set to continue their collegiate careers with the Gamecocks next season. This influx of talent is expected to significantly strengthen the team’s performance after evaluating past rosters and needs for improvement.
Meechie Johnson returns to South Carolina after a brief stint at Ohio State, where he played 10 games during the 2024-25 season, averaging 9.1 points, 2.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. Johnson is familiar with coach Paris, having previously played for the Gamecocks during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. In his first tenure with the program, he scored 845 points and averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists over 63 games. He also achieved Second Team All-SEC honors in the 2023-24 season.
Christ Essandoko, another key recruit, has played in 47 college games with 22 starts, showcasing a career shooting percentage of 50.2%. His most productive season was 2023-24 at Saint Joseph’s, where he averaged 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds before transferring to Providence, where he averaged 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds last season.
Kobe Knox brings considerable experience with 97 games played and 71 starts across his career at Grand Canyon and USF. He averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists during his tenure, with a notable improvement at USF last season when he averaged 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. His contributions were vital to USF securing their first-ever American Athletic Conference Regular Season Title.
Elijah Strong arrives from Boston College after participating in 46 games over two seasons, with a career average of 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. His standout performance included a career-high 25 points in a victory over Temple in the 2024-25 season, highlighting his scoring potential.
Mike Sharavjamts has an extensive background from playing at Dayton, San Francisco, and Utah. With 99 career games and 83 starts, he has boasted an average of 6.9 points and 2.7 assists per game. His last season at Utah saw him average 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Nordin Kapic rounds out the group, having played 34 games for UC San Diego with an average of 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. His contributions were pivotal in leading UC San Diego to a Big West regular season championship. Prior to that, Kapic was a First Team All-Sunshine State selection while playing at Lynn University.
Coach Paris expressed enthusiasm about enriching the Gamecocks’ roster through these strategic additions. The program focuses on enhancing its competitiveness as it looks forward to the challenges of the upcoming season. With the inclusion of these talented players, the Gamecocks are poised to strengthen their chances of success in the SEC and beyond.
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Additional Resources
- Gamecocks Online
- Star Tribune
- On3
- Greenville Online
- My Horry News
- Wikipedia: South Carolina Gamecocks men’s basketball
- Google Search: South Carolina Gamecocks basketball transfers
- Google Scholar: South Carolina Gamecocks basketball
- Encyclopedia Britannica: South Carolina Gamecocks
- Google News: South Carolina Gamecocks transfers
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