Not too long after taking over the USC basketball program in the spring of 2023, Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris set his sights on a 2024 point guard. He started watching 6-2 Elijah Crawford of Augusta at Peach Jam last summer, and then he and his staff decided that he was a guy they wanted to recruit.
Last year Crawford played at Legacy Early College in Greenville where he averaged around 13 points per game. Paris was up for a game last season, and assistant Eddie Shannon watched him several times. The staff continued to follow Crawford at his various stops this summer.
Now, the Gamecocks are in his final six and will be getting one of his official visits that he will be taking this fall.
“I hear from the entire staff, Coach Shannon, Coach (Tim) Buckley, Coach Paris,” Crawford said. “Everything is going good with them right now. I feel like that I’m a priority that they are recruiting in my recruiting class. They like me for the point.”
What has Crawford heard from Paris about what he likes about his game?
“I’m a dog. I play defense. I’m going to play both sides of the floor,” Crawford said. “I’m going to go out and earn my minutes. I facilitate the way I score the ball and also get it to my teammates.”
Crawford has visited USC in the past and is looking forward to his return visit. He’s also looking forward to seeing how much they will improve in year two under Paris.
“They are going to make a big step this year,” Crawford said. “Me and Coach Paris were talking, and he was telling me next year was going to be the year they take a big step. Some of the guys, when he came in, they were already there, and he didn’t have all the guys he wanted and needed. This year, it will be a big step for him and the program.”
Crawford also has in his final six Georgia, Mississippi State, UCF, Stanford and LSU. He plans to visit them all this fall and the only visit with a date is Stanford on October 6th. Crawford took a summer official visit to Boston College.
