South Carolina women's basketball: What could derail the Gamecocks' season?

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The Gamecocks have been back on campus preparing for the season for weeks, and the first exhibition of the season – at Memphis – is less than a month away. 

Normally it is about this time that I do stories on what South Carolina needs to do this season to win it all. But this season South Carolina will be the overwhelming favorite to repeat as national champions. The Gamecocks have talent, depth, experience, and versatility. 

Winning consecutive championships is just about the only thing South Carolina hasn’t accomplished, and in some ways, it is hard to imagine them not checking off that box this season. What could stand in South Carolina’s way?

Repeating is hard. It’s hard because you play the entire season with a target on your back. It’s also hard because a championship creates distractions for players. It’s popularly known as the “Disease of Me.”

If you are under a certain age, you have probably seen the phrase on countless motivational social media posts. But if you are over a certain age, you might remember the actual origins.

Originally it was the “Disease of More,” and it originated with Pat Riley. Riley won an NBA championship in his first season as coach of the Lakers, but in his second season, Los Angeles was swept in the Finals. In a book, he blamed the disappointing finish on players wanting more for themselves over the team.

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Later, in another book, Riley refined it into the Disease of Me and identified the symptoms.

1. Chronic feelings of under-appreciation
2. Paranoia over being cheated out of one’s rightful share
3. Leadership vacuum resulting from the formation of cliques and rivalries
4. Feelings of frustration even when the team performs successfully
5. Personal effort mustered solely to outshine a teammate
6. Resentment of the competence of another

You might think that won’t happen to the Gamecocks, and I’m not arguing that it will. Their chemistry and genuine affection for one another was a huge factor in going undefeated last season. That should fend of 3, 5 and 6, for example.

But there is more. Privately there was some grumbling. 

It’s the downside of having so much depth. Only five players can start and there are just 200 minutes to go around. Minutes are scarce. Miss a couple of shots, make a couple of defensive mistakes or turnovers, and there’s a quick hook to get someone else into the game. It can get frustrating.

Sometimes, players turned the frustration into motivation. During the season, Ashlyn Watkins didn’t hide the fact that she wanted to start, so when she was called on to start while Kamilla Cardoso was away, Watkins was ready and put up huge numbers. 

Similarly, Chloe Kitts stated openly that being essentially benched against NC State was the motivation for her double-double against Iowa. MiLaysia Fulwiley was benched in the first game against North Carolina, and she responded by destroying the Tar Heels in the NCAA Tournament.

But during the postseason when we were allowed into the locker rooms to talk to players, I also heard some private complaints. Nobody would ever admit it publicly, because they understood that everyone was sacrificing toward the ultimate goal of a championship.

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One player admitted to me off the record that she didn’t understand the rotations and why she was being subbed out when she was. Almost every player expressed some disappointment over not playing more, but some did it with a smile and some did it with a tone of frustration.

Winning the championship also turned the players into stars. Fulwiley was already a viral sensation, but it catapulted her into full-fledged stardom. 

Outside of South Carolina and Minnesota, how many people knew who Tessa Johnson was back in February? The same could be said of Kitts and Bree Hall. And Raven Johnson went from a punchline to arguably the face of an undefeated champion. Even Dawn Staley has done a victory lap of sorts, making appearances around the world.

NIL has allowed players to capitalize on their stardom, and many signed lucrative deals. But could someone start to think that she needs more playing time to realize her full earning potential?

How do Staley and the coaches avoid infection?

It starts with communication: This is why we do things a certain way. This is how this helps us win. This is why the rotation is what it is, and what you can do to play more. It’s something the Gamecock coaches have done a very good job with in recent years.

And then there’s some good old-fashioned coach speak. Staley was already in midseason form back in August when she unveiled the new national champion highway signs.

“If you saw our practice today, you’ve got to get real motivated,” she said. “It wasn’t one of our proud moments today.”

Ultimately it’s up to the players to police themselves. Last year they proved remarkably effective at getting on the right page when it mattered. That may be the most encouraging aspect as they eye another historic run.

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