When Hassani Gravett arrived on campus coming from Pensacola State College, he was expecting to play with the ball in his hands more than he did last year.

He was shifted to the two-guard spot more often than not, but this year with the Gamecocks’ veteran guards all moving on to professional basketball, Gravett gets his opportunity.

“We recruited Hassani to be a point guard,” Frank Martin said. “He was trying to figure out what we wanted from point guards and we already had guys that understood and he can play off the ball. So he learned playing off the ball.”

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Gravett quickly fell down the pecking order at point guard behind veteran guards PJ Dozier, Sindarius Thornwell and Duane Notice, all of who had point guard experience.

Shooting guard became his niche, filling in behind Thornwell and sometimes Notice at the two spot. He averaged 16.6 minutes and 3.2 off the bench learning behind those more experienced players.

This year, in his second under Martin, he could be handed the keys to Martin’s offense. He’s not taking that burden lightly.

“We lost Sindarius and PJ and Duane. Those are big-time leaders on this team, so my role is to step up as a leader and take ownership of the team and help everybody with anything they need,” he said in July. “Just being able to provide them with the answers when they need them just like they did for me when I was a young guy.”

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As seriously as he’s taking it, Gravett has also made sure his body is in tip-top shape when the season starts at the beginning of November.

Martin said Gravett came back to campus with four percent body fat, which he says is the biggest indicator to athleticism. South Carolina is losing three of its top five scorers from last season.

He’s a guy Martin’s high on, and has to be better in his second season.

“If you follow my career, players their second year get a lot better than they were their second year,” Martin said. “That’s pretty consistent throughout my career with players. So he’s in a much better place right now as a player.”

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The Gamecocks do have other options in the backcourt. Kory Holden, who’s coming off of a knee injury and sat out last year after transferring, is healthy and eligible.

Graduate transfers Frank Booker and Wes Myers are experienced guards that will play, and David Beatty is the lone freshman guard in the 2017 class.

None of those players have played a game at South Carolina, though. Gravett is the only returning guard to play in more than 10 games.

At least early in the season, Gravett will get to play the position he grew up playing, feels comfortable playing and the position he dreamed about playing at South Carolina.

“I grew up playing point,” he said. “I love distributing the ball, and not running the show but controlling the team.”