Known to most as A.J., Gaines finished his career at Louisiana College as one of the most prolific players in the school’s history.
Gaines came to LC from Byrd High School in Shreveport in 2012 under then head coach Gene Rushing. Rushing said that Gaines was a player who “fell through the cracks” in terms of recruiting, and he only learned about Gaines through a fellow coach while attending a high school all-star game. Rushing later attended a practice session at Byrd and knew Gaines was a player he had to have.
“I’m thinking, ‘Why is he not being recruited?’” Rushing said. “So, I sit with him in the locker room after the workout, and I said, ‘AJ, I’d like to have you come up, come visit with your family, and see what you think of Louisiana College.’ And he said, ‘Coach, I would really like to come.’”
“A chance is all I wanted, and a chance is what Coach Rushing gave me my senior year,” Gaines said. “And I thank him for that, because if he hadn’t given me a chance, I would not be speaking to you today.”
The only sticking point in the recruiting process that both men recall was that Rushing told Gaines “You’re gonna have to cut your hair.” It proved to be not much of a sticking point though, as Gaines made his decision to play basketball for Rushing at LC.
Instantly, Gaines brought a new dimension to the Wildcats team and finished his freshman year with a 13-point, 5-rebounds per game average. He was named American Southwest Conference Co-Freshman of the Year, East Division all-freshman, and East Division honorable mention all-conference.
In A.J.’s sophomore year at LC, he finished second team all-conference with a 16-point average before a knee injury cut his season short.
But in 2014, Gaines produced one of the best seasons in school history. His 20 points and 8 rebounds per game earned him conference player of the year, co-defensive player of the year, and first team All-ASC. He was also named to the 5th team of D3 news All-American and D3Hoops.com’s 1st team all-south region.
Before A.J.’s senior season, a big change as long-time coach Rushing retired, and Reni Mason became the Wildcats new head coach. Mason knew who Gaines was, having competed against Gaines’ father in high school basketball. But the change brought a new level of success both for LC and A.J. Gaines.
“If you know anything about the Gaines family, he is who they are,” Mason said. “What do I mean by that? The way he lives his life today. The way he carries himself today is a direct microcosm of his family. They are first-rate people.”
The senior led his team to its best Division III season and the program’s first ever ASC Championship game appearance. Gaines led LC in scoring (18.6 PPG), rebounds (9.4 RPG), steals (2.1 SPG), blocks (1.6 BPG), and finished second in assists (2.2 APG).
He finished the year as one of the nation’s most well-rounded and versatile performers, as he was one of only two players in the country to average at least 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in 2015-2016. Gaines was at his best in the biggest moments as he averaged 23 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 4.3 steals per game during the Wildcats historic run in the ASC Tournament.
“Coach Mason allowed me to continue to thrive and play the way I wanted to play for so many years,” Gaines said. “Although we may not have brought the ultimate prize back to Louisiana College, we changed the culture here, and we did some special things here.”
Gaines’ career totals of 717 rebounds and 174 steals both rank first in school history in the Division III era, while his 1,609 points and 136 blocks both ranked second in school history in the Division III era.
“He was a joy to coach,” Mason said about Gaines. “He was a young man that was very talented but needed to be pushed in areas that he thought maybe he was there, but he wasn’t. But we got through it and were able enjoy some success during his last year and my first year, and it has been a pleasure of mine to watch him move forward.”
Gaines’ basketball career was far from over once he finished at LC. He has continued to play professional basketball at the international level for the last six years. His stops have included Canada, China, Finland, and for the last two years, Japan where he’s been named a top five player and defensive player of the year.
Gaines’ spectacular ability to rise through the air with acrobatic dunk shots have also earned him the nickname “The Human Windmill.”
AJ is more than just a basketball player. He is a husband to Courtney, whom he married in 2021, and father to Ari Carter Gaines, who is now 4-years old.
Rushing said that Gains is starting his own clothing line with the help of the team he plays for in Japan.
“So, you never know,” Rushing said. “He wasn’t heavily recruited, but here we are with it. You never know which way all this thing will work out.”
