Former South Carolina men’s basketball coach Dave Odom is being honored this weekend as approximately 80 former players, coaches, and staff gather at Colonial Life Arena for a reunion. The event includes dinner and a cocktail hour on Saturday for those who worked with Odom during his seven seasons leading the Gamecocks from 2001 to 2008.
Odom said on Apr. 30 that the idea for the reunion came from a desire to reconnect with those he coached and worked alongside. “As a basketball coach for 43 years, you have a lot of opportunities to enjoy people around you and what you do,” said Odom. “A good portion of my life that I enjoyed was being at the University of South Carolina. It just occurred to me that we had not had all of our players back together in a long time. As you get older, it means more to you. We put together a plan to get as many of the players and staff back. That includes everybody! I had no idea it would turn into something this big.”
Odom led South Carolina through four seasons with at least 20 wins, an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004, and consecutive National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championships in 2005 and 2006. Former player Tre’ Kelley described his experience under Odom as transformative: “When he came to D.C. to recruit me, everything he told me was reflected in my four years at the University, on the court and off the court… He means everything to me.” Brandon Wallace credited Odom’s steady presence during challenging times: “During that time in my life, having someone as steady and calm as Coach Odom was important… Coaches can change lives and that’s what Coach Odom and Coach Duckett did for me at Carolina.” Carlos Powell also expressed gratitude: “He took a chance on young guy out of Florence, South Carolina… I’m forever grateful for that.”
The impact extended beyond their playing days; Kelley said they still speak regularly: “We check up on coach… When you have someone in your life that you spend that much time with in what’s a big transition in your life, they mean a lot to you.” Powell echoed these sentiments about staying connected: “Without him, a lot of us wouldn’t be where we are now in life. I’m thankful for the opportunity to have him coach us.” Assistant coach Barry Sanderson remembered how well-prepared teams were under Odom’s leadership: “He made sure we always had a great plan for every game… It was a great experience.”
Although retired from coaching college basketball after previous head coaching roles at East Carolina and Wake Forest—where he led teams through multiple NCAA Tournaments—Odom remains passionate about teaching but has concerns about changes within college sports today. “It’s not that I don’t want the players to get paid,” he said regarding recent developments around athlete compensation, “but when you look at it, it’s just so out of proportion.”
Reflecting on his tenure at South Carolina specifically, Odom highlighted both academic strength and lasting relationships built there: “The University of South Carolina does not get enough credit for being a strong academic university… Long after [the championships] is gone, the relationships that we have… are absolutely amazing.”
