South Carolina adds the commitment of Trae Hannibal

South Carolina kicked off its 2019 class on Friday with the commitment of in-state guard Trae Hannibal. A 6-foot-2 junior that can play either guard position, USC made the initial offer to Hannibal earlier this month.

Inching closer to his national breakout, Hannibal told GamecockCentral.com what intrigued him about the program.

“They talked a lot about how they’re going to need a great, strong guard like myself in that class of 19,” he said. “I love family because I’m not a selfish player. Family is a big thing to me. That’s what I love. That’s what we’ve been talking about between me and Coach (Frank) Martin.”

Selecting the Gamecocks over Oklahoma State, Clemson, Kansas State and Wake Forest, Hannibal is a ready-made competitor that contributes on both ends. More of a drive-first type of guard, Hannibal is a sneaky athlete that sees the game well as he can be relied upon for his playmaking abilities.

Running with Team TMP this summer, Hannibal’s commitment could only bolster USC’s chances with his teammate, Josiah James, a five-star junior from Charleston that is a priority of the Gamecocks’ out of the 2019 class.

Hannibal will likely be the replacement for Georgetown grad-transfer Tre Campbell next year.

South Carolina recently made the final cuts for top Rivals150 juniors Wendell Moore, Juwan Gary and Christian Brown, and just last weekend, hosted high end four-star guard AJ Lawson, a native of Canada, that reclassified into the 2018 class and will enroll within a college program this fall.