Dawn Staley has been coaching for over two decades. Her longest-running and most memorable stint has been with the South Carolina Gamecocks, where she has helped develop so many world-class basketball players.
Staley added a few more names to her resume as a head coach as South Carolina players got selected in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The South Carolina Gamecocks had three total selections, including two in the first round.
Raven Johnson was the most obvious first-round pick from the South Carolina Gamecocks. Johnson arrived in South Carolina in 2021, and in her final season, she averaged 9.9 points, 4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
Johnson improved her shooting to over 48% from the field and nearly 40% from the three-point line. The two-time NCAA Champion was selected as the 10th overall pick in the first round by the Indiana Fever.
Another player from Staley’s camp who made it to the first round was Madina Okot. She joined the Gamecocks in 2025, and while she couldn’t win the NCAA title this year, her numbers were incredible.
Okot averaged a double-double for the entire season with 12.8 points and 10.6 rebounds. The 6’6 center has a career shooting percentage of over 60 from the field and nearly 45 from the three-point line. She was drafted by the Atlanta Dream at No. 13 in the first round.
The last player from Staley’s camp who got picked in the 2026 WNBA Draft tonight was Ta’Niya Latson, who joined the program last year. Across four seasons in college basketball, she averaged 20.2 points, 4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting over 45% from the field.
Latson was picked in the second round by the Los Angeles Sparks. UConn’s Azzi Fudd was selected as the first overall pick in the draft by the Dallas Wings.
Dawn Staley Bid Emotional Farewell to Maryam Dauda
Maryam Dauda joined the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2024 after two years with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Even though Dauda never became the starting forward for the Gamecocks, she played her role.
She averaged 11 minutes per game and provided for her team on both ends of the floor.
“I have to credit Maryam with just being a high-character individual. Super-competitive and just being probably the greatest teammate through not playing, through being a senior, and, I mean, she’s never packed it in,” Staley said.
The Gamecocks’ head coach praised Dauda for always putting her team first and doing whatever the situation demanded from her.
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