South Carolina Basketball: Gamecock post player announced return for senior year

South Carolina basketball might have an even better roster heading into the 2024-2025 season than they had when they went undefeated and won the national title during the 2023-2024 campaign.

Though the Gamecocks lost Kamilla Cardoso (the #3 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft to the Chicago Sky) and Sahnya Jah (suspension/transfer portal, Arizona Wildcats), they are bringing in three 5-star prospects from the class of 2024 in Joyce Edwards, Maddy McDaniel, and Adhel Tac. They also recently added big-time transfer portal player Maryam Dauda from the Arkansas Razorbacks. Plus, the young players on the roster are a year older and more experienced.

An underrated holdover this offseason is post player Sakima Walker. The 6'5" Walker had not commented on her future much since the season ended, but on Tuesday, she officially announced that she was returning to Columbia for her final year in garnet and black.

On the court, Walker didn't see a ton of action this past season (though, when a minor disciplinary issue shook up the starting lineup, it was Walker who was tasked with starting at center), but she was an invaluable member of the team, nonetheless, and when she was called upon, she was productive on a per-minute basis.

In the locker room, Walker's age and experience helped her be an important voice on a team that had 7 players in their freshman or sophomore year (Adhel Tac enrolled early and was the 7th after mid-season). Throughout the season, Walker was referred to as the "Team Mom," "Mama 'Kima," or "the motherly one on the team" by other players and the coaching staff.

Having Walker back for one last ride in garnet and black could help out a frontcourt unit that has to replace Kamilla Cardoso as the 6'5"/6'6" Walker will join Adhel Tac as the team's only true centers (Ashlyn Watkins, Chloe Kitts, Sania Feagin, Maryam Dauda, and Joyce Edwards all can and will play the pivot spot but are at their bests at the other frontcourt spots).

Walker's return also means the South Carolina basketball roster will have 13 scholarship players, an improvement over the 10 available players the Gamecocks had near the end of last season. With even more depth, the 2024-2025 USC squad will be the national title favorite once again.