South Carolina Basketball: Gamecocks receive preseason accolades

Between both South Carolina basketball programs, just one Gamecock was voted by the SEC Media as a preseason All-SEC performer for the 2023-2024 season. Kamilla Cardoso represents Dawn Staley’s squad on the First Team All-SEC squad, while Lamont Paris’ group was completely shut out in the media vote.

While the media in Birmingham didn’t give a whole lot of respect to the Gamecocks, other outlets are a little more bullish on some individual Gamecocks this season.

A South Carolina basketball newcomer and two returners were named to the respective watch lists for the “Women’s Starting Five.”

New transfer point guard Te-Hina Paopao was included on the preseason watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award that is earned each season by the country’s top point guard.

Post player Sania Feagin was named to the Katrina McClain Award preseason watch list. The Katrina McClain Award is given out each year to the top power forward in women’s college basketball.

Gamecock center Kamilla Cardoso was selected as a member of the preseason watch list for the Lisa Leslie Award for the best center in all of college basketball.

Last season, Aliyah Boston won the Lisa Leslie Award, and Zia Cooke was the recipient of the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award for the nation’s top shooting guard.

Earlier this offseason, freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley was named the #3-ranked freshman in the country by The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings.

For Lamont Paris’ men’s South Carolina basketball squad, true freshman Collin Murray-Boyles is also receiving some preseason love.

The Columbia native was ranked as the 13th-best freshman in college basketball by The Athletic’s Tobias Bass. Murray-Boyles was rated as a top-100 recruit in the 2023 class, and the power forward is expected to play a big role for the Gamecocks despite a number of good post players on the roster.

The only postseason award for last year’s men’s team was GG Jackson’s spot on the All-SEC Freshman Team.