South Carolina Basketball: Gamecock guards picked by WNBA pro to begin "Dawg Class"

South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley has the best team in America, and, just like it usually is, the Gamecocks' foundation is its defense. (To be fair, USC has the 3rd-highest rated offense in the country, as well, but Carolina has had the best defense in college basketball the last two seasons).

Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins are two of the most ferocious interior defenders in the land, and the Gamecocks have a plethora of defensive-minded perimeter players who make life miserable on opposing guards.

Arguably the two most active and tenacious defenders on the outside for Coach Staley are guards Raven Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley. The duo owns the top two spots on the team in steals, averaging nearly 4 takeaways per game combined. The phrase "dawg mentality" has been used to describe their on-ball defensive efforts numerous times this season.

Knowing that, it comes as no surprise that Johnson and Fulwiley were invited by WNBA superstar Kelsey Plum (a Las Vegas Aces teammate of South Carolina basketball legend A'ja Wilson) to take part in her yearly Dawg Class.

Dawg Class is Plum's yearly camp in which she invites 9 of the top players from around the country to compete alongside her in drills, work out with professional trainers, engage in basketball classroom opportunities, and receive help with other aspects of pro-readiness. The initiative began because Plum struggled initially with her transition from the University of Washington to the WNBA. Now, she is giving back, helping work with future pros across women's college basketball to be a mentor and resource for them before their professional journeys begin.

Johnson and Fulwiley are the first invitees in the 2024 Dawg Class. Johnson also took part in 2023. It is sponsored by Under Armour but is not limited to players from Under Armour-backed basketball programs.