South Carolina women's basketball: Lessons from the recruiting trail

It’s June, which is the start of a major recruiting stretch for college basketball.

For the class of 2026, it’s time to take official visits and eliminate your finalists. For 2027 recruits, the summer means unofficial visits and narrowing down your list of finalists.

Recruiting has gotten more complex with NIL and the transfer portal. And as women’s basketball has seen a boom in popularity (and money), the number of disingenuous actors has also blown up.

I’ve covered women’s basketball recruiting since the dark ages and seen drastic changes in the past few years. For coaches and players, recruiting is more confusing than ever because of all the opportunities.

Based on conversations with players, parents, coaches, and other people who follow recruiting, here is my advice for recruits.

1. Identify your priorities
This seems obvious, but a lot of recruits commit for the wrong reasons.

Do you want to make as much money as possible? Do you want to win a national championship? Is your goal to play in the WNBA, wear a certain uniform, study a specific major, stay home, or leave home? Have you always wanted to play for a specific coach?

There are no wrong answers, only wrong programs. Are you more interested in making money than winning? That’s fine, as long as it’s what you want. On the flip side, we see a lot of players chase the money only to realize they don’t like where they end up.

Everyone has different priorities. This is a time to be selfish and think about what YOU want.

Don’t ignore them, but don’t let your family decide for you. And especially don’t let social media make your priorities for you. No matter what you decide, there will be criticism. You have to ignore it. 

2. Hire an agent
This mostly applies to top-20 recruits who have a chance to make significant money (most of you won’t be making seven figures, though): Hire a real, certified agent.

Not your parents. Not your uncle who’s good with money. Not your coach or your cousin. 

Legitimate agents have to follow strict rules designed to protect you and make sure your best interest comes first. An agent also has resources to help you maximize NIL opportunities and protect you and your family.

And since this will probably be the first time you are making money (potentially a lot of money), an agent should be able to give you the financial resources to make the most of your income. Some of you may be able to earn generational wealth. Don’t waste it.

If you aren’t a top-20 recruit, you probably should consider hiring a lawyer or accountant. The logic is the same: don’t hesitate to use a professional.

Stay on top of all things Gamecocks for just $1 for 7 days—lock in this special offer today!

3. Be careful with your inner circle
If you aren’t already, you are about to become a public figure. There will be a lot of people who want to be around you. Most have good intentions, but some don’t.

You’ve probably heard the cautionary tales of other players with greedy family members, helicopter parents, or shady coaches/advisors. Most of those cases come from football or men’s basketball, but trust me, I’m starting to see the same sketchy characters show up in women’s basketball.

Be careful where you get advice, and be realistic about your opportunities. If you only have Sun Belt offers, but a service claims they can get you offers from UConn and South Carolina if you attend their camp (paid, of course), they don’t need to be in your inner circle.

4. Don’t jump into the transfer portal every year
If you’re unhappy or have a better opportunity, then by all means, transfer. It’s your right as a player. Ignore the haters who say the portal has ruined the sport. 

That being said, players who transfer repeatedly are only hurting themselves. 

Each time you join a new team, you have to learn a new system, new teammates, and new coaches. It limits your ability to develop as an athlete and a student. 

Plus, if you follow #1, you won’t want to transfer.

5. Get your degree
Don’t let your education be an afterthought.

The WNBA is the hardest league in the world to make. The odds are against you making a career in the WNBA. To paraphrase the commercial, you are probably going pro in something else, perhaps playing overseas. Even if you make the WNBA, the current maximum annual salary is about $250,000.

The point is, you will probably need to make money outside of playing basketball. Take advantage of that free education and get your degree. It’s good to have options in life.

Discuss South Carolina women’s basketball on The Insiders Forum!