The plan for Seventh Woods this year

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASKETBALL

It’s been a while since Seventh Woods hasn’t had a national spotlight shining down on him.

The rising senior’s been on a national stage since he was in middle school and his viral dunks were making the round on the Internet and it didn’t stop when Woods signed with North Carolina and was a member of the Tar Heels’ 2017 national title team.

So, as he gets ready to sit out a year after transferring to South Carolina, he and Frank Martin are looking forward to him having a low-key year as he waits for an opportunity to shine in Columbia.

“The whole thought process was let’s redshirt and kind of get out of that spotlight for a bit and take a deep breath,” Frank Martin said “Let’s regain—the kids call it—his swag which made him pretty darn good and then the most important part, lets’ he and I get to know each other as a player and coach. We got to know each other as people in the recruiting process, but let’s get to know each other as a player and coach. When he’s eligible, he doesn’t have another year, he can maximize who he is.”

Also see: Full recap from Frank Martin's summer press conference

He’ll spend this season sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules, redshirting and walking on while waiting for his chance to be put on scholarship and play his final year of eligibility in the 2020-21 season.

Sitting out that year was something it seems he and Martin were both keen on, and it gives them a chance to build their relationship a little more and Woods to get his feet wet in the Gamecocks’ system before being eligible.

This gives Woods a chance to get out of the spotlight, a place he spent the majority of his teen years during his recruitment.

“My conversations with him throughout the whole recruiting process was sitting out. He’s been under a microscope since he was 13 years old. I don’t know how he’s done it and kept his sanity,” Martin said. “Every time he dribbled the crowd was sold out and every critic was out there criticizing everything he did wrong. I have no idea how that young man has been able to keep the class he lives with under those circumstances. I’m telling you I wouldn’t’ have done it. I would have insulted somebody along the way.”

Also see: Insider notes on Vershon Lee's commitment

Woods transferred to South Carolina a few weeks ago, enrolling in the summer and beginning classes.

Even though he’s not eligible to play this year, he can still workout and practice with the team, giving a young group of guards an experienced player to go up against every day.

In three seasons at North Carolina, Woods played in 94 games and averaged 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds a game while shooting almost 35 percent from the field in 8.7 minutes per game.

Martin said Woods was one of the better people in the locker room in Chapel Hill and he’s hoping even though Woods won’t play this year, he’ll be able to make an impact during practice and in the locker room.

“He backed up two lottery picks. It’s not like he went there and didn’t play, and he was a rotational player on a national championship team,” Martin said. “He’s got some experience there and he’s such an incredible kid. You could argue he was there favorite teammate up there. If you ask people they’d tell you that. He’s going to bring that to our team, even though he’s not playing.”