South Carolina Basketball: Former Gamecock gets another professional contract

South Carolina basketball alum Mikiah "Kiki" Herbert Harrigan was a fan favorite during her time in garnet and black. The combo forward bridged the gap between the A'ja Wilson era and the Aliyah Boston era in Columbia and was a steadying force on defense who played all over the Carolina frontcourt during her career.

In her college playing days, Herbert Harrigan became one of just four players in South Carolina basketball history to block 200 shots (averaging 1.5 per game) and joined A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Alaina Coats as players to swat away 200 shots and to score over 1000 points.

She was a key bench piece on the 2016-2017 National Championship team but became an All-SEC starter for Coach Dawn Staley in the 2019-2020 season and won the 2019-2020 SEC Tournament MVP. That year, "Mad Kiki" and the Gamecocks likely would have been the national champs again, but the Covid-19 pandemic canceled the season before the NCAA Tournament.

Her growth as a player in the South Carolina basketball program took her all the way to the 1st round of the WNBA Draft as she was taken by the Minnesota Lynx with the 6th overall pick. She played just a few seasons in the W before electing to play professionally overseas after 2021.

On Friday, Herbert Harrigan found her way back to the WNBA as she was signed by the Phoenix Mercury to a training camp contract.

With the Mercury, Herbert Harrigan will play with former rival Sophie Cunningham who played at Missouri during the height of the Carolina-Mizzou animosity. She will also play with all-time great Diana Taurasi.

Phoenix was one of the worst teams in the WNBA in 2023, so Herbert Harrigan, Cunningham, Taurasi, and the rest of the Mercury will be looking to improve drastically from their 9-31 record.