South Carolina Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson used her most recent post-game interview to make a bold claim about her boyfriend Nick Emmanwori. On Sunday, Feb. 8, Johnson and the rest of coach Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks faced Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee Lady Volunteers on the former’s home court, the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
In a video posted by @espnW on X/Twitter, however, Johnson was seen during her on-court interview after the game. The senior was asked how she thinks her partner, Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, will perform later today in Super Bowl LX. Johnson said that Emmanwori should’ve been awarded the 2026 Defensive Rookie of the Year trophy
“ I mean, he’s doing what he doing. I feel like, I’m just putting this out here, I think he should have got the Defensive Rookie of the Year [award] this year. But I mean, he’s gonna show the world today in the game that why he deserved that award, so,” Johnson claimed.
Emmanwori is set to make his Super Bowl debut in his rookie season in the 2025-26 NFL campaign. The two are said to have met on the University of South Carolina campus, where Emmanwori played his college football career. He was drafted with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 Draft, which was around the same time that he and Johnson confirmed their relationship.
For Johnson, she and her Gamecocks teammates dominated the Lady Volunteers by an astounding 43 points, 93-50.
Raven Johnson’s Coach, Dawn Staley, Shows Support For The Seattle Seahawks
South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley is known as a long-time Philadelphia Eagles fan, as she is a native of the city.
However, in the Gamecocks’ game against Tennessee, Staley decided to support her player Raven Johnson’s boyfriend, Nick Emmanwori, by wearing his jersey and custom Seahawks pants during their latest game.
Read More: “People Cry”: Raven Johnson Doesn’t Hold Back as Dawn Staley’s Strict Coaching Style Emerges
Also Read: Dawn Staley’s Interview Crashed as Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson Make Presence Felt Before Texas Clash
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