South Carolina Basketball: Gamecocks receive Thursday commitment

The South Carolina basketball team has undergone some serious attrition during the 2023 offseason. After yet another Final Four run, the Gamecocks had five players drafted in the 2023 WNBA Draft (Aliyah Boston, Laeticia Amihere, Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, and Victaria Saxton) and had two more contributing seniors graduate.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that another player would be leaving the program as class of 2022 guard Talaysia Cooper announced her intention to transfer by entering the transfer portal.

On Thursday, Cooper’s spot on the roster was filled. Coach Dawn Staley tweeted out her patented “A birdie just flew in the nest” message to the FAMs, and South Carolina basketball fans immediately began speculating who could be the mystery commitment.

At this time, it is unclear who the commitment is and whether the silent pledge is a high school prospect or a transfer portal addition, or even if the commitment could be a player for the 2025 class.

Unsurprisingly, like most recent recruiting cycles, the class of 2024 has been a good one for the Gamecocks.

Guard Milaysia Fulwiley is one of the most dynamic high school recruits in recent memory, and her freshmen running mates Tessa Johnson (shooting guard) and Sahnya Jah (wing) were both highly touted out of high school.

The transfer portal class only has two players, but they are immediate impact stars. Oregon transfer Te-Hina Paopao was an All-Pac 12 guard and will get lots of run in the backcourt for Dawn Staley this season, and Sakima Walker is a 6’5″ post player who was the Junior College National Player of the Year last season.

If the silent commitment is part of the 2024 recruiting class, one of the best classes in the country will have gotten even better. If the silent commitment is part of the 2025 recruiting class, she will be the first commitment of the cycle.