"Reeks of tampering" "Lamont Paris has lost the locker room": College hoops fans react as South Carolina loses major transfer portal target

Lamont Paris and the South Carolina Gamecocks lost a key commitment from a major transfer portal target, drawing backlash from fans. The Gamecocks lost the commitment of Treysen Eaglestaff, who originally announced his decision in favor of the program on Mar. 30. He was going to transfer from North Dakota, where he played three seasons of his collegiate career.

However, Eaglestaff changed course, de-committing from South Carolina on Apr. 16, per Joe Tipton of On3. This means his time being a Gamecock lasted less than three weeks.

It didn't take long for South Carolina fans to react to the news, believing that there was interference with Eaglestaff and Paris is losing momentum with the program. Here are some of their reactions.

"Reeks of tampering," one fan said.

"Lamont Paris has lost the locker room," another fan said.

"Damn that sucks for South Carolina," a fan said.

Others believe that Eaglestaff received more interest from other programs, resulting in his latest decision.

"More money coming in," one fan said.

"Dude, portal is silly. If you commit and then de-commit, you should have to sit a year," another fan said.

"Smart decision, young man," one fan said.

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What's next for Lamont Paris, South Carolina

Losing Treysen Eaglestaff is a tough blow for Lamont Paris and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Eaglestaff would have played a significant role in the team's offense. He averaged 13.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists throughout three seasons with the Fighting Hawks. This past season was the best in his career to date, putting up 18.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists, all career highs.

Eaglestaff could have been a major boost to a Gamecocks squad that was one of the worst scoring offenses in the country, finishing in the bottom 100. They went 12-20 on the season, going 2-16 in SEC Play. They averaged 69.8 points on 42.7% shooting from the field and 31.6% from beyond the arc, losing games by a margin of 1.7 points per game.

It was a disappointing end to the 2024-25 campaign, especially after going 10-4 in their non-conference matchups. It also marked a significant regression from the year prior, where Lamont Paris won SEC Coach of the Year after leading South Carolina to a 26-8 record and an appearance in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Paris has only been the Gamecocks' coach for three seasons. However, with only one winning season to show for it, time may be running out for him to build a consistent winning program with South Carolina. And following Eaglestaff's de-commitment, he should be wary about his long-term future as the team's head coach.