South Carolina women's basketball: Senior profile - Olivia Thompson
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In November 2018, South Carolina signed the top-ranked recruiting class in the country. It was a group of five players (four scholarship and one walk-on) hailed as potentially the best signing class ever.
Four years later, Laeticia Amihere, Brea Beal, Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke, and Olivia Thompson have led South Carolina to the most successful period in program history and are on the verge of completing one of the most successful four-year runs in the history of the sport.
Part of what makes the 2019 class so special is that each member stayed all four years. They turned down the potential for greater individual accomplishments elsewhere to stay and win. On Sunday they will play their final home game.
This week GamecockCentral will recognize each member of that class. Up first is the hometown kid, Olivia Thompson.
Olivia Thompson, #0, 5-8, Guard, Lexington, SC
Bio:
Thompson was the first member of the 2019 class to commit when she decided in the summer of 2018 to join the Gamecocks as a preferred walk-on. A lifelong Gamecock fan who said Dawn Staley was her role model, Thompson turned down a full scholarship to live out her childhood dream of playing in garnet and black.
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Then:
A three-point sniper, Thompson made an immediate splash. She scored 10 points on 4-7 shooting in her first game, all career-highs. She rarely played before the fourth quarter, but as a crowd favorite, there was a palpable buzz in the arena every time she trotted to the scorer’s table to check in during garbage time.
Now:
Following her freshman season, Thompson earned a scholarship as a reward for being the consummate teammate. She has never played as much as she did as a freshman, as South Carolina added younger players who needed the experience more. But Thompson continued to refine her shooting touch.
As a junior and senior, South Carolina had a special “Liv package” for when it needed a three, especially near the end of a quarter. It was a sign of how much Staley trusted Thompson and a reward for her hard work.
The Sacrifice:
Thompson will finish her career having played barely more than 300 minutes across four seasons. Not only did she not get to play, she often didn’t get to practice because other players needed the reps more. That’s a lot to ask of a player, but Thompson never complained.
FAM Favorite moment:
Following her freshman season, Thompson earned a scholarship.
My favorite moment:
South Carolina trailed at Stanford by ten in the second quarter, and Aliyah Boston was on the bench in foul trouble. Staley was desperate for a spark and turned to Thompson. Thompson hit a three to spark a 9-0 run that all but even the game.
South Carolina went on to win in overtime. It was, by far, the most important basket of her career.
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Legacy:
Thompson was too slow, too small, too unathletic, but could light up Colonial Life Arena like few others. In many ways, that first game defined her career: a deep reserve capable of making garbage time fun.
You had to be there to understand the jolt of energy that came when she and Elysa Wesolek would check in during the 2020 season. It was one of the signature parts of that team.
It is only fitting that during her senior season, she finally got a chance to make a clutch basket at a key moment in a big game.
Career stats (as of 2/20/23):
73 games, 1.1 ppg, 28-93 FG, 24-86 3FG (29%), no free throw attempts, 0.3 rpg
Records:
- None
Awards:
- SEC Academic Honor Roll (2020, 2021, 2022)
Team accomplishments: 120-8 overall record, 55-1 home record, two SEC regular season championships, two SEC tournament championships, two Final Fours, 2020 consensus #1, 2022 national champions.
