![South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris reacts during a game against Florida during the first half of a NCAA mens basketball game at Steven C. O'Connell Center Exactek arena in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_78,w_2611,h_1468/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/146/01krp3da9vjs9ddyrm1g.jpg "South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris reacts during a game against Florida during the first half of a NCAA mens basketball game at Steven C. O'Connell Center Exactek arena in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
South Carolina's head coach, Lamont Paris, has dipped back into the Badger well and this time convinced Sam Dekker to begin his coaching career in South Carolina. This is weird news to stomach as it's both a "good for Sam Dekker" and a "how did Dekker start his coaching career and it's not at Wisconsin?!" He's a Wisconsin legend and very openly still an aggressive Wisconsin sports fan.
Yet, you have to take the opportunities as they come to you, and Dekker will make a great coach. Lamon Paris grabbed a legend and someone who truly helps the Gamecocks excel. Paris has used his history with the Badgers twice to bring in former Badgers.
The other coach he hired was Tanner Bronson. One of the most fun and incredible stories in Bo Ryan's tenure. Bronson started as a student manager, eventually became a walk-on, and ultimately was part of a team that went to the Elite Eight (2005).
Sam Dekker joins Lamont Paris and Tanner Bronson at South Carolina.#Badgers pic.twitter.com/2kaGtH1jrE
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) May 15, 2026
Sam Dekker gets the opportunity to coach and he seized it, even if it's away from Wisconsin
Related: John Blackwell and Nick Boyd’s NBA Combine showdown didn’t exactly go to script
Paris was the assistant coach for Bo Ryan while Dekker was playing at Wisconsin. The two have known each other for years and now get a chance to work together. Dekker said this about his opportunity to join the South Carolina coaching staff, "I’m so grateful to Coach Paris for trusting me with this role, and I take it very seriously. The decision to transition from player to coach is not one I took lightly, but joining Coach Paris and this program was a dream opportunity."
Dekker even highlights his time in Wisconsin as he arrives in South Carolina: "Some of my best memories as a player were competing in two Final Fours with Coach Paris, and I look forward to doing that with him again."
Paris is truly building a Madison South, down in South Carolina. Including Paris, there are now three former Badgers on the staff. Ultimately, a Badger fan will hope that Dekker does so well that he ends up joining the staff at Wisconsin at some point.
Now there's a part of the Wisconsin fan heart that is rooting for the Gamecocks and would love to see Paris, Dekker, and Bronson have great success in South Carolina.
Dekker's role for the Gamecocks is going to be in everything, but the press release said it this way: "Dekker will be involved in all facets of coaching, with a focus on on-court player development." In other words, you'll see Dekker sitting courtside helping with the players and their roles throughout the game, in preparation for the games, and ultimately throughout the season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google