Providence forward Christ Essandoko signs with South Carolina

In breaking news, South Carolina has secured a commitment from Christ Essandoko through the NCAA Transfer Portal, as reported by On3’s Joe Tipton. Essandoko makes the move to the SEC program after previously playing at Providence, marking an important early addition for head coach Lamont Paris.

During his time with the Friars, Essandoko appeared in 22 games, starting seven, and averaged 14.9 minutes per game. This past season, Providence finished with a 12-20 overall record, including a 6-14 mark in the Big East, and ended their season with a six-game losing streak, capped by an early exit in the conference tournament.

Essandoko’s collegiate career began at St. Joseph’s, where he posted averages of 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. Now set to join Paris in Columbia, this marks his third school in as many seasons of college basketball.

According to his On3 recruiting profile, Essandoko had received offers from schools such as Wake Forest, Rutgers, and Seton Hall, among others.

As of March 26, over 1,250 players have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, with that number expected to rise as the 2024-25 college basketball season comes to a close. For up-to-date news on player movements, be sure to check out On3’s Transfer Portal Wire, as well as follow their Instagram and Twitter accounts for real-time updates.

In other news from South Carolina, Nick Pringle has officially entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to On3’s Joe Tipton. Pringle also plans to test the NBA Draft waters, marking a pivotal decision in his basketball journey. Tipton reported the news earlier today, noting Pringle’s intentions to pursue both the transfer portal and the NBA Draft.

Pringle recently completed his one season at South Carolina, after transferring in from Alabama, where he spent two seasons, as well as stints at Dodge City Community College and Wofford. Throughout his Division I career, which spans 117 games, Pringle has made 48 starts over the past two years, with his most notable success coming at Alabama. There, he helped the Crimson Tide capture two conference titles and made a run to the Sweet 16 in 2023 and the Final Four in 2024.

Throughout his college career, Pringle has averaged 5.9 points on 63.2% shooting and 4.4 rebounds per game. This season, as a graduate student, he set career highs, averaging 9.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

On3’s Barkley Truax and Nick Schultz also contributed to this report.