Advertisement
basketball Edit

Martin updates AJ Lawson draft decision

Even though things are up in the air with AJ Lawson and his decision on whether or not to make a decision on the draft, he is planning to be a part of the Gamecocks' summer training program when it starts in a few weeks.

“The NCAA is waiting for the NBA to officially make a decision on their draft. We talk almost daily. I talked to him earlier today," Martin said. "As of right now, our players are due back on campus June 29 to start the whole testing and being put in a bubble and his plan is to be here on June 29 unless something changes.”

The Gamecock players are due back in roughly four weeks and will begin their Coronavirus testing process and Lawson should be back with the team then, even if his name is still in the NBA Draft pool.

Originally college players who entered the draft had until June 3 to make a decision but with the NBA combine and draft suspended and being pushed back that date has been pushed back too and no one knows when the deadline to withdraw will be.

He averaged 13.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists this year while shooting 41.4 percent from the field, 33.9 percent from three and 72.4 percent from the free throw line.

If he ultimately leaves, the Gamecocks would be losing their third leading scorer in SEC play and one of the best guards on the team.

If does return for his junior season, it would mean adding back a veteran presence and a scoring threat from all three levels to a team set to return almost every key piece from last year's team.

The Gamecocks finished .500 or better for the sixth straight year and were a top six team in the SEC for the fourth time in five years.

They finished 18-13 and 10-8 in the SEC before the season was abruptly cut short due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Photo by Katie Dugan
Photo by Katie Dugan
Advertisement