COLOMBIA – It’s family territory. He has walked the path for the past two years, so he knew it was coming.
It’s time for the SEC tournament, which has been South Carolina’s opportunity for success or failure for three consecutive seasons, and that means scorer AJ Lawson will be questioned about his future. Just like in the past two years, he said he didn’t think about it and will wait until the end of the season.
“At the moment, I’m just focused on the SEC Tournament, trying to win,” said the junior guard.
It looks different this time, at least for outsiders. With the Gamecocks ending a miserable season, but Lawson showing a big improvement, this seems to be his best chance to move on. The NBA, as has been the case for the past two years, seems like an exaggeration, but with a return to normal pre-draft training and always a chance to play himself in an NBA squad spot, Lawson could choose to accept his best chance to play professional basketball.
“It’s my dream to play in the NBA,” he said. “Whenever I make my decision, I will have to consider all factors.”
Lawson has been the most consistent player and one of the few highlights this season for Gamecocks, who enter the tournament with a 6-14 record. The USC has a first-round clash against Ole Miss and Devontae Shuler, a native of Irmo, on March 11. The teams played on February 13 in Columbia and Shuler set his career record, 31 points, in the rebels’ 81-74 victory.
March is a time of miracles, which is what the USC needs right now. Gamecocks must win four games in four days to win the SEC championship and receive the automatic offer for the NCAA Tournament.
However, as the staggering Gamecocks have not shot well or played well defensively throughout the season, it seems likely that they will lose in the first round and start the clock on two things: Coach Frank Martin will return to a 10º season and Lawson will decide to do more than just dip a finger into the draft process this time around?
These decisions will last a day very soon. Today is about reflecting on what has been an excellent individual career in which Lawson never had much help in fulfilling his most precious wish.
“I think he is frustrated this year. He knows how much he worked and how much we tried to work, ”said Martin. “I just feel bad for the victories and defeats and everything that this year threw at him hindered his biggest goal, which was to keep winning. We have one more chance this year to make the year work, and I know he is excited to be playing here as we start preparing today. “
Canada’s Lawson chose Gamecocks and immediately made an impact. He considered the NBA after his first year, but he knew he needed more spice. His second year was good by the numbers, but not so good by the details, and when the season ended abruptly due to the pandemic, he was interested in the recruitment process, but he did not know what was going to happen.
He never had a chance to work in front of scouts or team personnel, and NBA administrators only had in-game movies and Zoom interviews with Lawson to examine. With recruitment postponed to November, long after Lawson had to decide whether to return to school, he knew the chances of being selected were not great.
Then he came back, added some muscles and entered the ring as the best player in the Gamecocks. It started well, so the COVID-19 crashed again.
Like the rest of the team, Lawson suffered over a period of seven weeks, during which time the program ended three times. He averaged almost 17 points and was one of two players to play in every game, and the only one to start every game.
“I feel that every year I have grown more and more. This year I grew a lot because we had to go through a lot of things ”, said Lawson. “It is difficult, but I have been there, I have been there. This is just the life we live now. “
He deserved more than giving so much to USC and not getting a post-season trip with it, but that has been a theme for several Gamecock stars. Lawson never shied away from trying to improve, which could perhaps make the team better.
“He is a great young man. He was a highly regarded recruit who chose to come here to become better, I think he did that, ”said Martin. “He spent the first two years here learning to grow as a person because he was a baby when he came here, to improve and grow and become more of a man and continue to improve as a player. I think he does that every year. “
When another season comes to an end, all Lawson can do is leave everything on the court. And then decide if it’s worth trying again.
Follow David Cloninger on Twitter @DCPandC.