Maddy McDaniel injury update: Dawn Staley reveals South Carolina guard's status vs. Michigan

South Carolina fans will have to wait a while longer to watch their standout freshman take the court. On Friday, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley provided an update on first-year guard Maddy McDaniel‘s status for the team’s season opener on Monday.

“Probably not playing,” Staley said. “She didn’t practice today. She hasn’t done any live [work]. She’s in some drills but not live.”

McDaniel also didn’t play in South Carolina’s two exhibition games. She is still recovering from surgery she had earlier this month to remove scar tissue from her knee.

Knee issues are unfortunately nothing new to McDaniel. When she was a freshman in high school, she tore her ACL. In her high school team’s regular-season finale earlier this year, she tore her meniscus. Now, she is again battling injury.

Despite McDaniel’s history, she was the No. 12 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to ESPN’s recruiting rankings. She averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 assists and 5.2 steals per game as a junior. For her efforts, she was named the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

After McDaniel signed with the Gamecocks, Staley raved about the Maryland native’s talents.

“I love a point guard who plays to make others better without sacrificing her own talent as a playmaker; and Madisen is that,” Staley said. “She has court vision and the ability shoot and get to the rim, but what sets her apart is that she makes good decisions in the moment and has team success as her top priority.

“Madisen has been well coached and played at an elite level, so I know that she fits our culture and that the FAMS will love to watch her play.”

With or without Maddy McDaniel on the floor on Monday, South Carolina fans plenty to be excited about. The Gamecocks are coming off a national championship-winning season and haven’t lost since the Final Four in the 2022-23 campaign.

As expected, South Carolina is the preseason No. 1 team and is kicking off its season in style. On Monday, the Gamecocks will square off against the Michigan Wolverines at 7:30 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The game will air live on TNT and TruTV.