Just a few hours after explaining at a summer press conference that he was close to filling out the vacant role on his coaching staff, Lamont Paris has reportedly made a move.

According to Jon Rothstein of CBS sports, the Gamecocks wll hire Will Bailey to fill out the assistant staff. Bailey will replace Tim Buckley, who departed the program to take an assistant coaching job at Cincinnati following the 2023-24 season.

Although he spent last season with the Ramblers, Bailey has experience in Columbia. He spent the final two seasons of the Frank Martin era, 2020-22, as an assistant for South Carolina. His other career stops have included St. Louis, La Salle, East Tennessee State, Maine, Chicago State and UAB dating back to 1999.

"I was really interested in familiarity with me and what we do," Paris said about the search on Monday. "I like guys that can teach, that's a big part of what we do is teach. Guys that work hard, guys that are loyal. I'm excited about making this addition, and it should happen some time here in the really near future."

Bailey joins Tanner Bronson and Eddie Shannon on the staff, and is the first assistant change of the Paris era.

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