South Carolina adds 2025 point guard Eli Ellis

South Carolina snagged a class-of-2025 commitment on Wednesday, when four-star guard Eli Ellis chose the Gamecocks over fellow finalists Mississippi State, Virginia Tech and VCU. Below, Rivals explores what head coach Lamont Paris is getting in his new point guard as well as what it means for the bigger picture.

WHAT SOUTH CAROLINA IS GETTING

Ellis is one of the older prospects in the 2025 class, which could make him a reclassification threat down the road, though there has been no buzz to suggest that is in the cards just yet. Ellis' reputation is that of a sorcerer and he has a knack for sometimes making difficult finishes look easy. He’s a hyper-reliable spot shooter that can routinely knock down open looks from deep but sometimes struggles to create good shots for himself off the bounce. He’s at his best when he takes what the defense gives him, gets his teammates involved and doesn’t try to force the action himself. For that reason, he can be a bit feast-or-famine depending on what day you catch him. As Ellis levels out and matures as a player, he could be a significant contributor to an SEC roster due to his jumper and toughness. He’ll take the next step as he develops as a shot creator for both himself and others.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE GAMECOCKS

You can’t go wrong betting on a shooter, and USC has done just that here. Sure, Ellis will need to develop into a more complete point guard down the road but he has time to do so, and there will always be a role for a guy that can fill it up from deep. The 6-foot-1 point guard is the Gamecocks’ first class-of-2025 commitment and a nice piece for Lamont Paris to build around going forward. There’s something to be said for Paris’ ability to land a well-regarded prospect with options despite going 4-14 in his first season as South Carolina’s head coach.