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South Carolina women's basketball: Through ten games, how does Joyce Edwards compare to A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston?

On3 imageby:Chris Wellbaum•12/11/24•

ChrisWellbaum

South Carolina women's basketball star freshman Joyce Edwards. Photo by: Katie Dugan | GamecockCentral
South Carolina women's basketball star freshman Joyce Edwards. Photo by: Katie Dugan | GamecockCentral

Freshman forward Joyce Edwards was likely South Carolina’s most decorated recruit ever. She’s already made an impact this season, but how does she compare to other Gamecock greats after ten games?

Edwards was a two-time national high school athlete of the year and the Gatorade national player of the year. She also won two gold medals with Team USA. Edwards was a top-three overall recruit (she was top two until a suspicious drop to three in the final rankings).

She joined A’ja Wilson (first) and Aliyah Boston (third) as the Gamecocks’ only top-three frontcourt recruits. (Sania Feagin was ranked fourth. Guards Raven Johnson (second) and Saniya Rivers (third) were also top-three players.)

Ten games in, Wilson and Boston already had signature moments. Edwards hasn’t quite burst on the scene the same way, but her numbers are fairly comparable.

Boston was a starter from day one and was a focal point of that team. Wilson and Edwards each started once before settling into a bench role as a supporting player.

There are other differences as well. Wilson got a bunch of easy home games to find her groove before her first big game at Duke. Boston had big games at Maryland and against Baylor early on, but also had several home tuneups.

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Edwards has faced the toughest schedule and the fewest home games. That will change over the next three weeks, but it doesn’t factor into the first ten games.

Wilson averaged 14.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks. Boston had the most complete stat line, averaging 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 1,5 steals, and 1.2 assists. Edwards is averaging 9.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 assists. 

Let’s go back to the signature moments. Wilson had the game-winning putback against Duke, which really put Wilson and South Carolina on the national stage. Boston was the first (and still only) player in NCAA history to have a triple-double in their first game, and she also had a monster 20/10 game against Baylor. 

Edwards hasn’t had one of those moments yet. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t been one of the Gamecocks better players. Edwards, like Wilson, has one double-double, while Boston had four (including the triple-double). 

Aside from the difference in playing time, Edwards deserves another asterisk. She isn’t much of a shot blocker so her defense doesn’t show up as much in the box score. Still, Edwards is second on the team in double-figure scoring games, second in double-figure rebounds, and she leads the Gamecocks in steals.

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