South Carolina women's basketball named transfer portal winner ahead of 2025-2026 season
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley promised at the end of the 2024-2025 season–one that ended with a loss to the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament National Championship–that she would use the transfer portal to upgrade her team. Promise fulfilled.
The Gamecocks signed just two players out of the portal, but both Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot will be major factors in USC’s quest for a fourth title under Staley.
On Monday, On3’s Talia Goodman published a story on the biggest SEC winners and losers from this offseason’s transfer portal arms race. Goodman picked South Carolina as a winner, listing the Gamecocks first among a list that also included the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, Ole Miss Rebels, and LSU Tigers.
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Frankly, it’s hard to argue with Goodman’s assessment.
Universally, Latson was considered one of the two best players in this year’s overall portal class. At Florida State, she led the nation in scoring at 25.2 points per game and chipped in with 4.6 assists. Latson will have the ball in her hands a lot with the Gamecocks, but with the presence of All-SEC point guard and long-time friend Raven Johnson, she won’t be tasked with running the offense every time down the floor. That should allow her to conserve energy at times and operate as an off-ball shooter and cutter at others. She has shown the ability to excel with the ball and without it, and Coach Staley will give her the chance to do both.
Okot was exactly what the doctor ordered for a team with good power forward talent but limited center options. Last season, Sania Feagin (who is now in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks), Chloe Kitts, Joyce Edwards, Maryam Dauda, and Ashlyn Watkins (pre-injury) all had to play at the five-spot. Feagin even started at the position. This season, thanks to the 6-6 Okot, the out-of-position minutes will be a much more infrequent occurrence. If fellow tower Adhel Tac continues to develop, she and Okot could earn the majority of the center run. Okot isn’t just tall, though. The former Mississippi State Bulldog is an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker. The 2024-2025 Gamecocks didn’t have as much of that as they needed.
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It is certainly worth noting that South Carolina lost two players to the transfer portal this offseason. Most notably, MiLaysia Fulwiley transferred to LSU after two exciting, yet inconsistent, seasons playing for her hometown Gamecocks. Veteran post player Sakima Walker also defected to join the Cal Golden Bears after two years in Columbia.
Losing one guard and one big, Carolina picked up one player at each position. As much promise as Fulwiley has shown (her ceiling is almost unlimited), Latson is an upgrade right now. The same is true of Okot filling the roster spot of Walker, but even more so.
Graduating seniors Feagin, Te-Hina Paopao, and Bree Hall won’t be easy to replace. However, incoming five-star freshmen Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell will play a role in doing so.
