Raven Johnson Contemplates Future After South Carolina’s Loss to UConn
After South Carolina’s 82-59 defeat to UConn in the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship, Raven Johnson, the Gamecocks’ junior point guard, hinted that she might be rethinking her decision about whether to return for a final season at Columbia or enter the WNBA Draft.
“You never know, I might come back,” Johnson said when asked about her legacy at South Carolina. “That probably wasn’t the end. You never know.”
When asked if the loss to UConn, by a 23-point margin, affected her future plans, Johnson admitted, “Kind of, yes. It made me think a little bit. I would love to end on a good note.”
If this is indeed the end of her time with the Gamecocks, Johnson has certainly left a remarkable legacy, reaching the Final Four every year of her career, making it to the championship game three times, and winning two national titles.
Head Coach Dawn Staley praised Johnson’s incredible contributions to South Carolina and assured that a decision about her future would come at the right time. “Raven and her family will sit down. I’m not in a rush, I hope she’s not in a rush. But she does have to think about what the next level looks like for her,” Staley said. “I’m never going to tell anybody to stay or to go. I always leave it up to them to make that decision. Raven, like many other players in that situation, will come up with what’s best for them, and whatever that is, we’re going to support.”
However, Johnson will need to declare for the WNBA Draft soon, as it takes place on Monday, April 14th.
Joyce Edwards, a freshman forward, spoke highly of Johnson’s impact on and off the court. Having known Johnson for years before they played together at South Carolina, Edwards expressed how much she values Johnson as a teammate. “I love her. On defense, she’s a dog, nobody scores on her. She’s very intense on defense,” Edwards said. “She’s a two-way player and she controls our offense. She’s a solid point guard. One of the best point guards I’ve ever played with in my career. Being able to depend on her is great because we know we can. I would love for her to come back. I hope she does come back.”
Reflecting on her potential legacy at South Carolina, Johnson added, “Continuing a winning habit, making it to the Final Four all of my years. That’s big. A lot of people can’t say that. Not even Final Four, national championships. So I would say that’s big, that’s the legacy.”
