Hinson joins basketball but football comes first

South Carolina freshman Evan Hinson will officially play basketball too this season -- with one caveat.

South Carolina men's basketball coach Frank Martin made it clear that football comes first for Hinson, but the Gamecocks' fifth-year coach also believes the 6-foot-5, 238-pounder from Deltona, Fla. has a chance to help on the hardwood.

"I actually saw him play in high school, he is a pretty good basketball player," Martin said. "He picks things up. His dad is a coach. He understands the terminologies and basketball and things of that nature. He's got a chance to help us, doesn't practice all the time, maybe a couple times a week, but he has a chance to help us."

Hinson, who is redshirting as a tight end on the football team, signed with the Gamecocks as a three-star prospect in that sport over offers from Southern Cal, Florida and Miami. But he's always been considered a good basketball player as well and has had the idea of playing both in mind.

Hinson averaged 23.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game as a junior when he was named the Daytona Beach News-Journal's Player of the Year on the hardwood.

"He's a perimeter guy, he's a wing," Martin said. "He's fairly athletic, knows how to play. He's not a great shooter, he's a shot-maker. ... He's got a chance. He has athleticism, has an understanding of how to play. The first time he practiced, if he was open he let that thing go. I like that a about players, I don't like players that are bashful. I like guys that have an aggression to how they play, he has that."

Martin said that football coach Will Muschamp has been supportive of Hinson playing both sports, but that it's not the same situation as it was with Bruce Ellington. Hinson playing basketball will never interfere with football.

"He is all football, until football season is over," Martin said. "He came here to play football. ... He's part of the groundwork to help Will build that foundation that they are going to have in that program. When that season is over, then he will start practicing (full-time) with us. Will has been very supportive of it and was supportive of it when the recruitment was going on."

South Carolina basketball continues preseason practice in advance of its exhibition contest versus Newberry on Nov. 6. Tip-off is slated at Colonial Life Arena for 4:30 p.m. ET versus the Wolves.

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