Top basketball recruit Cam Scott has a message for South Carolina after he picks Texas

South Carolina was right there until the end for Lexington four-star guard Cam Scott.

Scott, the SC 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year, picked Texas in a ceremony at his school on Friday. But Scott said the Gamecocks came close to landing the in-state prospect.

“They were right there. Game of inches. They were No. 2, sure,” Scott said of the Gamecocks shortly after his announcement.

Scott said he called Gamecocks coach Lamont Paris and other coaches from teams in his final six about the decision. Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss and Oregon were his other final schools among his more than 20 offers he considered.

“It was real rough. I’m not going to lie,” Scott said. “Coach Paris wished me the best of luck. He is a great guy and they have a great staff. I still wish them the best of luck.

“I am looking forward to seeing what they do this year, and I hope they do well. They are the hometown team, but my heart just felt somewhere else.”

Scott has been top priority for South Carolina, dating back to when Frank Martin was the coach. The Gamecocks offered him in June of 2021. Since Paris arrived, the Gamecocks’ staff had turned up the recruiting efforts.

The Gamecocks have done well landing top in-state talent under Paris. GG Jackson committed to USC months after Paris took over and was the top-ranked prospect in the school’s history.

USC also has landed other in-state prospects such as Arden Conyers and Collin Murray-Boyles as well as in-state transfers in TaLon Cooper and Hayden Brown.

The coaching staff was virtually at all his high school team and AAU events the past two years. Scott has taken multiple visits for Gamecocks games over the past few years. He took his official visit to USC in October.

Scott even attended Jackson’s draft party. Jackson, the former Ridge View High standout, picked the Gamecocks after committing to North Carolina. He played one season for USC before declaring for the NBA Draft. The Memphis Grizzlies selected him in the second round of this year’s draft.

Scott said Jackson called him a little over a week ago to make a final recruiting pitch to him.

“Me and GG were close friends. We talk a lot,” Scott said. “He hit me telling me he knows where home is, but I had other things planned.”

With Scott committed to the Longhorns, the Gamecocks will look elsewhere for the Class of 2024 recruits. KJ Greene, who is originally from Columbia, is at the top of the list. Greene plays at Pace Academy in Georgia but has made several trips to USC games.

Greene told The State this summer that South Carolina will get one of his official visits in the fall.

South Carolina also is looking at in-state guard Elijah Crawford and Trent Noah among others. Noah is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Harlan High in Kentucky. The Gamecocks offered him in July.