South Carolina women's basketball: Offseason player outlooks - Incoming players

Each offseason, GamecockCentral looks at the strengths, weaknesses, and offseason outlook for each player.

We began the series last week with a look at the guards, followed by the forwards. Today, we look at South Carolina’s incoming players.

Ta’Niya Latson (Senior, Guard, 5-8)
2024 stats (at Florida State): 29 games (29 starts), 25.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.2 spg
Strengths: Latson led the nation in scoring last season, so putting the ball in the basket would be considered a strength. Often, high scorers are inefficient, but not Latson. She is the best scorer Dawn Staley has ever had, and, yes, that includes A’ja Wilson, the best player in the world.

Weaknesses: Not many. Latson isn’t a great defender, but she plays with effort and is hardly a liability on that end. She’s undersized. We’re nit-picking, though.

Offseason focus: For three seasons, Florida State was the Ta’Niya Latson Show. That won’t be the case next year. Staley isn’t going to tell Latson to stop scoring, but they will have to find a meeting point.

Projection: Latson probably won’t lead the nation in scoring again. She has too much help, plus Staley likes a more balanced attack. But Latson puts the ball in the basket, and that won’t change. If a game is on the line, there may not be anyone in the country that you’d rather have with the ball in her hands than Latson.

Madina Okot (Senior, Post, 6-6)
2024 stats (at Mississippi State): 34 games (34 starts), 11.3 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.1 bpg, 1.4 spg
Strengths: Okot has size and strength, but is also agile enough to play 3X3 basketball. She can finish around the rim and provide protection on the other end. Okot has only played one season of NCAA basketball, so there is hope that she is only scratching the surface.

Weaknesses: Okot commits a lot of fouls, especially in SEC play. She had more four- and six-point games than you’d like to see from a player with her size and ability.

Offseason focus: Okot needs to learn her new teammates and a new system. South Carolina has brought in a big, talented post before, and Kamilla Cardoso struggled to produce in her first season in Columbia.

Projection: Okot should be South Carolina’s primary post. She may not start over Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards, but Okot will be the big South Carolina relies on against other traditional posts.

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Agot Makeer (Freshman, Wing, 6-1)
Strengths: Makeer is an elite defender. At the Nike Hoops Summit, Makeer was used as a defensive stopper on Aaliyah Chavez and excelled. She is still developing on the offensive end, but averaged 17.7 points at the U17 World Cup last summer, fourth-highest at the tournament.

Weaknesses: Makeer is raw. The consensus is that Makeer is only scratching the surface of her ability. That also means she is still figuring things out. She’s very thin and needs to get stronger.

Projection: Makeer is a bit of a project. But she’s a long, rangy guard who plays defense. That alone helps you win games.

Ayla McDowell (Freshman, Wing, 6-2)
Strengths: McDowell plays with a high motor and has the size to play multiple positions. She steadily improved in high school, leading to a breakout senior season. In addition to the normal high school all-star games, McDowell has gotten a lot of experience from playing WNBA exhibitions with the Brazilian senior national team. As an 18-year-old playing against pros, it’s no surprise that she struggled. But her three-point shooting, rebounding, and defense have stood out.

Weaknesses: McDowell isn’t going to face WNBA-level players every game next year, but she’s going to face a lot of them. She’s going to have to get stronger and more consistent with her jumper.

Projection: Makeer is higher-ranked and most agree she has the higher ceiling, but McDowell has the traits that could get her on the floor immediately: defense and shooting. South Carolina’s 2021 signing class had three of the top four players in the class, but the fourth member, Bree Hall, ended up playing the most as a freshman. Hall played because she gave the Gamecocks energy, defense, and shooting. Sound familiar?

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