Former South Carolina basketball recruiting target reopens recruitment, asks out of Georgia Tech LOI after Damon Stoudamire firing

In the wake of Georgia Tech firing head coach Damon Stoudamire, a former South Carolina basketball recruiting target backed off his pledge to the Yellow Jackets, the second prospect to do so in the last week.

According to a report from Rivals’ Joe Tipton, talented Thomasville (GA) Tri-Cities forward Jalan Wingfield decommitted from GT on Thursday morning. Before his original commitment to the Yellow Jackets, South Carolina was one of his other top suitors, along with Cincinnati, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Ole Miss.

While it is too soon to know if Wingfield’s former interest in the Gamecocks has carried over, it is worth noting that he expressed great affection for Lamont Paris’ program as recently as a month before his Georgia Tech commitment. Wingfield has strong relationships with Paris and the South Carolina staff, and he spoke highly of USC throughout his recruitment.

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The son of former Cincinnati star and NBA player Dontonio Wingfield, Jalan Wingfield is a 6-8, 220-pound forward. He has the size, skill, and athleticism to play both inside and outside. If Wingfield continues developing his jumper, he could become a successful multi-positional, two-way player at the collegiate level.

According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Wingfield ranks as the No. 138 overall player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 44 national small forward prospect. In the talent-rich state of Georgia, Wingfield ranks as the No. 7 recruit.

At the time of this writing, South Carolina basketball has just one player incoming in the class of 2026. Four-star guard Marcus Johnson (younger cousin of graduating Gamecock Meechie Johnson) signed with the program. Guard Isaac Ellis, brother of Gamecock guard Eli Ellis, decommitted, reclassified to 2027, and flipped to Louisville.

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