Sakima Walker, a towering 6-foot-5 center from Columbus, Ohio, spent two seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks under the leadership of legendary coach Dawn Staley.
During her time in Columbia, Walker mostly played limited minutes behind an experienced frontcourt but still earned a role as a reserve on the 2023-24 national championship team.
The former NJCAA Division I Player of the Year (2023), Walker entered the transfer portal on April 8, looking for an opportunity to make a bigger impact on the court.
This Saturday, she officially announced her next move: committing to the California Golden Bears for the 2025-26 season, where she will aim for a larger role under head coach Charmin Smith.
Reacting to the news, her former coach Dawn Staley showed nothing but support. She took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted, “All you Kim! Cali is up and so are you!” in a heartfelt message to Walker.
Before transferring to South Carolina, Walker had an outstanding career at Northwest Florida State College, where she averaged 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Over 32 games, she logged double-digit scoring efforts frequently, recording 13 double-doubles and surpassing the 20-point mark 10 times, while leading her team to a 2023 NJCAA National Championship.
Now with just one year of eligibility left, Walker heads west, hoping to close out her college career with a breakout season in California.
The positive exchange between Staley and Walker underscores Staley’s continued loyalty and encouragement toward her former players, even as her program faces significant roster changes, including the high-profile transfer of star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley to rival LSU.
A titan in the world of women’s basketball, Dawn Staley is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, a member of both the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2012) and the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame (2013). Under her guidance, South Carolina has captured three NCAA titles (2017, 2022, 2024) and secured nine SEC regular-season championships, solidifying her legacy as one of the sport’s greatest coaches.
