South Carolina basketball makes top group for elite junior who throws down dunks

South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley has her Gamecock team positioned with a loaded roster again heading into the 2024-2025 season, and even without securing a future commitment yet, her efforts in the next two recruiting classes indicate that Carolina will bring in some more big-time talents and keep their dominance rolling.

On Thursday, Dushawn London of 247Sports reported that athletic forward/center Oliviyah Edwards has a list of top-10 favorite programs, and USC made the cut. Joining the South Carolina Gamecocks on the list are the Tennessee Volunteers, Washington Huskies, North Carolina Tar Heels, Florida State Seminoles, Duke Blue Devils, LSU Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Southern Cal Trojans, and Florida Gators.

As a player, Edwards is full of potential. Standing at 6'3" and owning an impressive wingspan, "Big Oh" is athletic enough to throw down dunks with ease. She runs the floor well and can be a dynamic rebounder and defender thanks to her size, strength, athleticism, and motor. She can play power forward or center and has the ability to stretch the floor on offense and defend multiple positions on defense.

She has a physical makeup that is somewhere between South Carolina basketball legend A'ja Wilson and current Gamecock post player Ashlyn Watkins. Putting those types of expectations on Edwards isn't fair, but watching her film, it isn't hard to be reminded of those players.

On the offensive end of the floor, Edwards likes to operate with the ball in the post, but she is not limited to playing in the paint. The talented Washington native has an improving jump shot and is becoming more and more comfortable putting the ball on the floor as a ball handler. She is a good finisher near the basket, both with her back to the basket and as a driver, and she can score with either hand.

Edwards does not appear close to making her college decision, but the top-10 national prospect is one worth waiting for for the Gamecocks and every other team recruiting her.

You can watch some of her film here.