Dawn Staley can turn college hoops upside down by landing Audi Crooks

The No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks are preparing for the UConn Huskies in the Final Four. But while head coach Dawn Staley is preparing her team to make it back to the national championship game for the second straight year, she will also likely be making some big moves on the recruiting trail. 

That's because on Thursday, Iowa State star center Audi Crooks officially entered the transfer portal. The junior wrote in an Instagram post that she would be entering the portal. She will reportedly be a target of South Carolina, as well as other big-time schools like UConn, Texas and Vanderbilt, according to Michael White of All-Girls Sports Report: 

Crooks, from Algona, Iowa, finished this past season averaging 25.8 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and shooting 64.9 percent from the floor. She earned Associated Press and USBWA All-American second-team honors as a junior. She finished second in points per game nationally this season, behind Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes.  

Crooks is a two-time All-American, who has played the last three seasons for the Cyclones. She helped lead Iowa State to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as a Big 12 tournament title in 2023. The Cyclones made the tournament this year as a No. 9 seed, but were upset by Syracuse in the first round. 

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As South Carolina will likely have to replace the likes of seniors Ravn Johnson and center Madina Okot, Staley landing Crooks would put the Gamecocks in a huge spot to be a contender once again next season. Staley successfully landed current Gamecock players like Okot, guard Ta'Niya Latson and forward Maryam Dauda from the portal. Crooks will likely come with a hefty price tag wherever she ends up.  

"How much is it going to cost us?' That's the conversation," Staley said via ESPN just last week of the current transfer portal market. "You've got to lead with that. Because you don't really want to waste your time. You either are going to have enough to pay players, or you don't. And you move on."

"Because although you can promise a young person this or that, if your budget says otherwise -- I don't like to promise anything that isn't available to us," Staley continued. "I don't want to have to go out and get the money because you could be told no and then your back is against the wall.

"So have you to lead -- I won't say I lead with that question, but I get to it fairly quickly. After the pleasantries are done, you have to get to the question so you're not wasting your time and spinning your wheels on somebody that you can't afford."

Players entering the portal have until April 20 until the window closes. Staley successfully landed current Gamecock players like Okot, guard Ta'Niya Latson and forward Maryam Dauda from the portal.