By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
Nick Pringle’s collegiate career has been a roller-coaster ride that has taken him from the Lowcountry to the Upstate, then to Alabama and the Final Four after a stop in Western Kansas. But the final stop on the carnival will be closer to home.
Pringle made the highly-anticipated announcement Saturday on social media, then followed it up by signing an NIL deal with the South Carolina Gamecocks on Monday, adding another dynamic piece to the puzzle for coach Lamont Paris.
After leading Whale Branch to the Class 2A state championship game as a senior in 2020, Pringle headed to Wofford but didn’t find consistent playing time and found himself unsatisfied with his trajectory. He hit the reset button at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College and became the highest-ranked junior college power forward in the country, drawing offers from numerous schools before opting to join Nate Oats at Alabama.
In two seasons with the Crimson Tide, Pringle had stretches of high productivity, including during Alabama’s run to the first Final Four in program history, but he also found himself on the end of the bench or in Oats’ doghouse from time to time.
With just one season of eligibility remaining, Pringle sought a fresh start and entered the transfer portal, and after considering his options, he found a home closer to home.
Pringle averaged 5.2 points and 4.1 rebounds across 68 games at Alabama, and after serving two separate suspensions during the season for violating team rules, he returned with a renewed focus and energy in the NCAA Tournament, playing through injury to help the Crimson Tide advance to Phoenix, including a 16-point, 11-rebound effort to help beat Clemson in the Elite Eight.
The Gamecocks also added 7-footer Jordan Butler, a Greenville product who is coming home from Missouri, as well as in-state guard Cam Scott out of Lexington, as well as Finnish forward Okku Federiko and freshman guard Trent Noah out of Harlan County (Ky.).
Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.
