What AJ Lawson learned from Chris Paul

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASKETBALL

The general consensus regarding AJ Lawson is the lanky guard will be an NBA guard sooner rather than later.

The Gamecocks’ guard, who’s projected as a first round pick in 2020, will have to wait at least a year to test NBA waters again but that doesn’t mean he can’t get some advice from an NBA all-star.

Lawson spent the weekend at Chris Paul’s CP3 camp, soaking in a few things from the four-team All-NBA First Team guard.

“It definitely helps,” he said about what this could do for his game. “I was able to ask them questions after camp a lot, pick their brains and that’s going to help me a lot. Their knowledge is key because I want to get into their position.”

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Lawson was one of just 24 college guards to get invited to the camp and one seven players from the SEC to attend, joining Florida’s Andrew Nembhard, Ole Miss’s Breein Tyree, LSU’s Javonte Smart and Skylar Mays and Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans.

At camps like this, it could be easy for the namesake—in this case Chris Paul—to not take an active role in the event but that wasn’t the case.

Paul was right there watching drills and the camp’s scrimmages, offering advice to guys like Lawson throughout the weekend.

“Watching CP3, I learned how to play with pace and be poised with the ball, not overwhelming myself with too much dribbling or take too few dribbles,” Lawson said. “He’s a great teacher and taught me a lot.”

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Now, Lawson takes what he’s learned there—and throughout a busy summer—back to Columbia for his sophomore season.

Lawson opted to declare for the NBA Draft after his freshman season, not signing an agent so he could return to school if he chose to.

He didn’t work out for any specific NBA teams before announcing his decision to come back to school but said he learned a lot about the process and what it will take for him to ultimately achieve his ultimate goal of playing in the NBA.

“You have to compete everyday,” he said. “Everyone’s competing for a spot and there’s people working not only in the U.S. but all over the world.”

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He said coming back to school was the “right decision for me,” and is back now in Columbia working out with a team he thinks can be really good.

The Gamecocks are not only returning Lawson but key pieces in Keyshawn Bryant and Maik Kotsar, bringing in Jair Bolden and Jermaine Couisnard after both sat out last season and adding a group of freshmen Frank Martin is extremely excited about.

“We definitely have potential. We have a strong team this year, I feel like,” Lawson said. “If we all work hard together and have good chemistry, I feel like we can do special things and go on a run.”