Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks made it to the National Championship game this year. Their run to the title game included a dominant win over the unbeaten UConn Huskies in the Final Four matchup.
The Gamecocks suffered a blowout 51-79 loss against the UCLA Bruins. Staley didn’t get enough time to process that loss because the NCAA transfer portal window opened on Tuesday. Now, she will focus on rebuilding her team.
Staley isn’t losing any player to the transfer portal. However, several of her players, including the team’s leader, Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Madina Okot, are moving on to the WNBA.
Considering the program’s success rate under Staley, South Carolina is an ideal landing spot for several players currently available in the transfer portal. Some players are a better fit to play for the Gamecocks than others.
Audi Crooks was one of the most shocking entries into this year’s transfer portal. The 6’3 center for the Iowa State Cyclones is arguably the most dominant player in the portal right now. She averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting nearly 65% from the field last season.
She would be the ideal replacement for Madina Okot, who averaged a double-double for the entire season.
Kymora Johnson entered the transfer portal after three seasons with the Virginia Cavaliers. She averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game while shooting nearly 41% from the field.
She provides the perimeter shooting and ball-handling stability that Raven Johnson, who is now WNBA-bound, provided for years.
Another player coming out of Iowa State in the portal is Jada Williams. She averaged 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7.7 assists while shooting over 41% from the field. Williams is expected to be one of the most sought-after guards in the portal.
She can play both on and off the ball, providing the perimeter scoring that South Carolina will miss with Ta’Niya Latson leaving for the WNBA.
Dawn Staley’s Message for Incoming Players
Staley got very close to another NCAA title and lost to the UCLA Bruins. Next season, they will be looking to make another run at the title. Staley recently sent a message to all the incoming and returning players.
“I just think we just need players who are committed to team, committed to getting better as individuals,” she said. “Creating pro habits so when they are challenged to perform at a high level, it won’t be something that they wrestle with. It’s a norm.”
It’ll be interesting to see the moves Staley makes in the transfer portal window because they will likely dictate their run next season.
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