South Carolina Guard Eli Ellis Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Eli Ellis, a freshman guard for the South Carolina Gamecocks men’s basketball team, announced on March 23, 2026, that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. The portal officially opens on April 7, 2026.

Ellis shared his decision via a post on Instagram. During his single season with the Gamecocks, he averaged 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game .

Gamecocks Season Recap

South Carolina concluded the 2025-2026 season with a 13-19 overall record and a 4-14 mark in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play, resulting in the team missing the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year .

Ellis’ Background and Recruitment

Prior to joining South Carolina, Ellis was a highly-regarded four-star recruit, ranked as the No. 69 overall player in the 2025 class by 247Sports . He was also considered the No. 9 point guard nationally and the third-best player in the state of North Carolina.

Out of high school, Ellis received offers from several programs, including Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, VCU, and the College of Charleston .

Future Outlook

The transfer portal is open from April 7-21. South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris will return for the 2026-2027 season . Ellis’s departure marks the first roster change for the Gamecocks this offseason, with further adjustments anticipated as the program looks to rebuild and replenish its roster.

Ellis has over 600,000 followers on Instagram and 1.4 million on TikTok .