COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lamont Paris is now officially the head coach of the University of South Carolina men's basketball team, and in his first statement, he says his goal will be to get the team back to the postseason routinely.
Paris spoke to the public for the first time Thursday afternoon, hours after the USC board of trustees voted to approve a five year, $12 million contract for him.
In front of a throng of reporters and guests, USC Athletics Director Ray Tanner presented Paris with a Gamecocks number 33 jersey (Paris is the team's 33rd coach) before allowing Paris to make his first statement.
"I'm grateful to be here and I'm grateful to be the face of this program," he said.
Paris will make $2.2 million in his first year, with stepped increase of $100,000 each year, with him making $2.6 million in the final year, which would be the 2026-2027 season. The deal also includes incentive bonuses for reaching the postseason.
Paris, 47, also becomes the first African American to be hired as Gamecock men's head coach in program history.
WATCH: Lamont Paris Speaks to Gamecock fans for first time as coach
Paris had most recently been the head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where this team had a 24-7 record this past season and made the NCAA Tournament. Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Mocs fell to Illinois 54-53 in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
A day after the loss, Tanner brought Paris to Columbia to offer him the Gamecocks' job.
"Lamont Paris understands winning and what it takes to win," Tanner said in his introduction to Paris.
In his five years at Chattanooga, Paris posted a 87-71 record and increased his win total each season.
He said his goal is to get USC--which hasn't been to the postseason since 2017--back to competing in tournaments regularly.
"I'd like to quickly add to that," he said. It's why I do this, it's why [the players come to practice....I want to win."
He said he's got several objectives, including engaging the community, enhancing the student-athlete experience, and recruiting. He said he considers himself a teacher and promises to get the players playing the right way.
"I'll push some buttons," he promised. "I'll get the right people here."
An Ohio native, Paris has 25 years of coaching experience and was a member of Wisconsin's Final Four staffs in 2014 and 2015.
He replaces Frank Martin, who was dismissed as the coach of the Gamecocks back on March 14 after 10 years with the school. The Gamecocks had just finished an 18-13 season that saw the team fail to reach both the NCAA Tournament and the NIT. In making the decision, Tanner said a change was needed in the program.
USC Trustee Charles Williams was the only member to vote against the contract, saying he felt the buyout clause was too large. He mentioned at the school is still paying a buyout to former football coaches.
Word that a deal had been reached to hire Paris first surfaced on Monday night in published reports but the school did not confirm the news.