South Carolina men’s basketball pulled off a thrilling overtime win over Southern Miss on Sunday night — but the game also came with some roster news from head coach Lamont Paris.
The Gamecocks had three players not dressed for the matchup: freshmen Cam Scott, EJ Walker, and Abu Yarmah. Paris had already confirmed that Scott and Walker would redshirt this season, and after the victory, he announced that Yarmah will join them.
In typical good humor, Paris joked with reporters about the timing of the question.
“Of all the things that happened in that game, I’m surprised that that came up so quickly,” Paris said. “There were 1,472 things that were wild in that game.”
He went on to confirm the decision, saying, “Yes, Abu has decided that he wants to redshirt, so I’m happy for him and the things that he’s going to attack this year, to be able to spend some extra time on some things. But he felt really good and comfortable about it. And so, if he’s happy, I’m happy.”
Yarmah did not see the floor in the Gamecocks’ first two regular-season contests or the exhibition game against NC State. His freshman year was expected to be one of development, making the redshirt move a logical choice.
At 6-foot-6 and 209 pounds, Yarmah brings a blend of size, athleticism, and shooting potential that could make him a key contributor in future seasons. He joined South Carolina late in the 2024 recruiting cycle after competing with Eli Ellis and Hayden Assemian for the YNG Dreamerz at Overtime Elite.
According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Yarmah was rated the No. 310 overall prospect and the No. 56 small forward nationally in the 2025 class, while ranking No. 20 among all players in North Carolina.
With Yarmah now officially redshirting alongside Walker and Scott, the Gamecocks will move forward this season with 12 scholarship players on their 2025–26 roster.
