CHATTANOOGA—Chattanooga Mocs Head Men’s Basketball Coach Lamont Paris announced the second student-athlete addition to the 2020-21 roster Friday afternoon with the signing of KC Hankton. Hankton is a transfer from St. Louis in the Atlantic 10. The period began with three-year James Madison starter Darius Banks signing for his senior season in the Scenic City.
Hankton is a rising junior. He’s listed at 6-7, 215 lbs., and is an intriguing talent who saw action in 34 games in his two seasons with the Billikens.
“We didn’t do a whole lot with him out of high school,” Coach Lamont Paris shared. “He had a lot of foot traffic, but we were aware of him. We were familiar with him when he went into the portal. We made some calls and talked with trusted sources which you have to do in this climate. They confirmed everything we had seen.
“He hasn’t played a ton because of some nagging injuries that slowed his progress at inopportune times. We knew he could play and that was corroborated by the St. Louis staff and people we trusted.”
Hankton’s best games came against quality opponents including a career-high 11 points, six rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes against Richmond as a freshman. His top sophomore effort came in 22 minutes of the win over Valparaiso with eight points, two rebounds, two assists and a career-high three steals before being limited to just 32 minutes the rest of the campaign.
“I loved the way Coach Paris talked about the culture within the team,” Hankton shared. “The entire staff is really good, and I trust them. The style of play is perfect.
“That was a key part of what I was looking for in my next school.”
Hankton has two years of eligibility remaining and awaits NCAA word if it starts in 2020-21 or 2021-22.
“He can shoot the ball, and he fits what we like,” Paris added. “That’s bigger than average guys who can do a lot of different things. He’s got a good skillset and mobility that allows him to play multiple positions. He also brings a physical element coming from a program that prides itself on physicality.
“The sit out year…I anticipate it being very productive. Like it was for Malachi (Smith), and how much we saw Jamaal (Walker) and Jaden (Frazier) grow their games as redshirts. We’re excited to challenge him and he’s excited about that challenge.”
