Dawn Staley’s star player, Raven Johnson, is headed to the WNBA. Johnson joined the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2021, and over the last five years, she has established herself as one of the best players in Gamecocks’ history.
Johnson won two NCAA titles, was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, made multiple All-SEC teams, and more. In her final season, the Gamecocks made it all the way to the championship game and lost 51-79 against the UCLA Bruins.
While her college career is over, Johnson is going to the WNBA. She is projected to be a top 10 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, which is only hours away. Before Johnson left the program, head coach Dawn Staley delivered an emotional speech for her star player.
Staley said that Johnson wanted to go out at the top, as a national champion, which unfortunately couldn’t happen. However, that loss doesn’t affect all the work that she has put in and the reputation she has earned.
“You know, they often asked me this weekend, ‘What does Raven bring to the table?’” Staley said. “When you’re on the floor, and you’re on our basketball team, we’ve got like a 95% chance of winning…Bottom line, you’re a winner. Bottom line, you’re a really kind individual.”
Staley said that even when Johnson fouled an opponent on the floor and knocked them down, she’d be the first person to go up to them and help them stand back up. It speaks to the person that she is and the leadership quality that she possesses.
Staley thanked Johnson for choosing South Carolina. When she joined the program, she told Coach Staley that they’d win national titles together. Even though they couldn’t win one this year, Johnson kept her promise and won two NCAA titles with Staley and the Gamecocks.
Dawn Staley Asked Fans to Turn the Page on Geno Auriemma Controversy
South Carolina’s Final Four matchup against the UConn Huskies will be remembered for a long time. The Gamecocks played a near-perfect game against an unbeaten powerhouse team and defeated them 62-48.
The brilliant game of basketball was overshadowed by the verbal altercation between Staley and Geno Auriemma. Their heated exchange has been a topic of discussion over the last 10 days, but Staley wants everyone to move on from it.
“I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear – I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game. One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from,” Staley said in a statement. “So, I’m asking everyone to turn the page.”
The Gamecocks’ head coach said that there are better and more important things to focus on, which include elevating the game and pushing the program forward.
Read More:
South Carolina WNBA Draft Projections: Where Gamecocks Stars Could Land in 2026
2026 WNBA Draft Prospects: Top 10 College Basketball Players To Watch Out For
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