Brea Beal announces decision for next season
One more member of South Carolina’s historic freshman class made her decision on next season.
Brea Beal announced Tuesday her decision to forgo her last year of eligibility and enter the WNBA draft, putting an end to a storied South Carolina career.
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“Dear Gamecocks, my time as a Gamecock has been an incredible journey and I’m grateful for all the love and support I have received from the Fams. I want to express my deepest gratitude to coach Staley, coach Law, coach Boyer and coach Chmiel and all the phenomenal coaches and staff,” Beal wrote in a message on Twitter.
“To my teammates and the Freshies, thank you for your support through the highs and lows. To my family and loved ones, I’m so grateful for your sacrifices that have allowed me to be in this position. That said, I am excited to announce that I am declaring for the 2023 WNBA Draft.”
Beal was a highly-regarded member of South Carolina’s ballyhooed recruiting class. She started 137 of the 138 games she played in four seasons with the Gamecocks, a career that led her to three Final Fours and a national championship.
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She was also part of the team ranked No. 1 nationally before the tournament was canceled in 2020.
Beal averaged 6.1 points and 5.0 rebounds during her time with the Gamecocks, but her reputation as arguably the best defender in the country for multiple years made her an insanely valuable piece to the roster.
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Her best statistical season came this year when she averaged a career-best 6.4 points on 41.7 percent shooting and shot 38 percent from three. Beal averaged 4.3 boards, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.
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This season, Beal and South Carolina didn’t lose a game en route to the program’s third consecutive Final Four before losing to Iowa in the national semifinal.
Beal was a five-star prospect in the 2019 class, the No. 11 player in the class and a part of maybe one of the best recruiting classes in college basketball history.
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That class also included five-stars Aliyah Boston (No. 3 nationally), Zia Cooke (No. 4) and Laeticia Amihere (No. 10) and three-star Olivia Thompson.
So far, the only other player who’s made her decision public so far is Boston, who is also off to the WNBA.
