According to On3’s Joe Tipton, South Carolina forward EJ Walker plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Walker just wrapped up his first season in Columbia, earning some playing time off the bench as a true freshman. He now goes into the open market, hoping to find a new home.
Originally, the plan for Walker was to redshirt. However, head coach Lamont Paris decided to change the course of direction and get Walker out there. This came after South Carolina started the season 5-3, losing against the three power conference foes they played. Walker made his college debut on Dec. 6 in a victory over Stetson.
“He has a tremendous understanding of what we would like to do,” Paris said. “I don’t know if it’s probably a combination of intelligence, combined with intent, very intent listening… He’s really intentional about it. Even though he’s in a redshirt situation, and I asked questions, he always knows the answer to what I’m asking. When I say always, he always knows the answer, so he pays attention, even though he wasn’t going to be playing in the games. And so I think that stuff helps him.”
Walker wound up playing in 22 games this season for the Gamecocks. He averaged 2.9 points and 2.7 assists every time out there. Shooting splits were a bit all over the place. First up, his field goal percentage sat at a nice spot, coming in at 42.9% from the field. But numbers from the three-point and free-throw line could have been better, sitting at 24.1% and 47.1%, respectively.
This is not the first bit of transfer portal news for South Carolina. Three players have already announced their intentions to leave the program. A different-looking roster for Paris is likely coming ahead of the 2026-2027 campaign.
EJ Walker back on the open market being a recruiting win for South Carolina
When Walker committed to South Carolina, it was considered a big recruiting victory at the time. A trio of Big Ten schools was after the 6’7, 253-pound forward. Ohio State, Purdue, and Wisconsin were considered to be contenders. But at the time, the Gamecocks got Walker over the finish line.
Walker played high school basketball at Erlanger (KY) Lloyd, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 205 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.