Collin Murray-Boyles was the standout player on the South Carolina basketball team this past season. His strong sophomore performance significantly improved his NBA prospects.
Currently, he’s projected to be a Top 15 pick in most mock drafts, with many expecting him to take the opportunity and advance to the next level. However, according to Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris, rival teams are still trying to convince him otherwise.
Earlier this week, Paris spoke with SEC This Morning about the state of college basketball, touching on topics like NIL and the transfer portal.
He also shared some thoughts on changes he’d like to see in player recruitment and revealed how a conference rival attempted to poach his star player.
“Collin Murray-Boyles, who has no intention of leaving, was offered $2.5M by someone from our conference who was competing in the NCAA Tournament,” he revealed. The coach chose not to name the team behind the offer, which didn’t provide much clarity since 14 of the SEC’s 16 teams participated in March Madness this year.
South Carolina was one of the two SEC teams that didn’t make the postseason. While other teams continued their seasons, Lamont Paris has been active on the recruiting front, securing several highly rated transfers from the portal.
Paris will aim to keep his star player, though it won’t be easy. Collin Murray-Boyles is currently projected to be the 11th overall pick in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft. As a sophomore, he posted career highs in key stats, averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.
There’s still hope, however, thanks to NIL. South Carolina may try to keep him with a substantial financial offer.
Murray-Boyles hails from Columbia, SC, and his girlfriend plays for the South Carolina women’s basketball team, which is currently in the Final Four. Lamont Paris is confident that he won’t be transferring, at least not in the near future.
