College basketball recruiting never sleeps, and that includes in Columbia, South Carolina. On Thursday evening, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley landed her first player via the transfer portal from this cycle, and it's a player she is quite familiar with.
The Gamecocks successfully landed a commitment from former Texas guard Jordan Lee. The news was first reported by On3's Talia Goodman:
BREAKING: Texas transfer Jordan Lee has committed to South Carolina, sources told @On3.
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 17, 2026
The 6-0 sophomore averaged 13.2 ppg, 2.5 apg and 1.5 spg this season.
TRACKER: https://t.co/wYv1Ze6704 pic.twitter.com/IDc6LwGvkU
The rising junior spent the last two seasons at Texas, the same team which knocked off South Carolina twice this past year. She averaged 13.2 points last season for the Longhorns, including 2.5 boards and 2.5 assists per contest.
Staley signalled the commitment was coming on X just a couple hours before the news dropped:
A birdie just flew in the nest!! 😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/9AlBhhvVWH
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) April 16, 2026
Lee, along with five-star forward Oliviyah Edwards, visited South Carolina earlier this week. The two were spotted at South Carolina's Tuesday night baseball game:
Here's a look at Jordan Lee and Oliviyah Edwards with Dawn Staley and the #Gamecocks at Founders Park. Lee spending a lot of time talking with Adhel Tac.@abc_columbia https://t.co/z2ribtkGiw pic.twitter.com/yJXYeTEVIH
— Noah Chast (@NoahChastTV) April 14, 2026
Edwards was previously signed with Tennessee, but was released from her signed letter of intent earlier this month.
Lee's best performance against South Carolina came during Texas' 66-64 win over South Carolina in November, as she scored 19 points.
Staley has successfully utilized the portal in recent years, landing the likes of now-WNBA stars in Madina Okot and Ta'Niya Johnson. South Carolina is still in the mix to land Virginia guard Kymora Johnson and potentially star center Audi Crooks this cycle.
"How much is it going to cost us? That's the conversation," Staley said of South Carolina's recruiting conversations just last month. "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 said. "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."
Staley's first transfer-portal addition of 2026 is a great one, and it immediately vaults the Gamecocks into national title contention.