COLUMBIA, S.C. – After another championship-caliber season, South Carolina women’s basketball saw five players move on — three to the WNBA Draft and two through the transfer portal. Now that the 2025–26 season has tipped off, the spotlight turns to how those transfers fared in their new uniforms during opening week.
G MiLaysia Fulwiley – LSU
Few departures in college basketball caused as much buzz as MiLaysia Fulwiley’s. The Columbia native — once praised by Dawn Staley as a “generational talent” — took her dazzling skill set from her hometown Gamecocks to SEC rival LSU.
Fulwiley made her highly anticipated debut in LSU’s dominant 108–55 win over Houston Christian. Coming off the bench, she played nearly 21 minutes and erupted for a team-high 21 points, seven steals (a career-best), four rebounds, and two assists.
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey was quick to praise the sophomore’s performance but cautioned against limiting her role.
“You know, I remember that word when I was a player, ‘spark plug,’ and I hated it because I came off the bench for two years,” Mulkey said. “Oh, she’s a spark plug. Well, OK, I’m a spark plug, but when am I going to be the engine? So, I’m very careful about how I use that with MiLaysia because her skill level and her talent is better than just a spark plug.”
Mulkey added that Fulwiley’s growth will depend on consistency and balance.
“It’s our job, as she goes into her third year of college, to help her become a complete player, not one that does it in spurts or coming off the bench,” she said. “The good thing is she’s very unselfish — and so is this team.”
C Sakima Walker – Cal
After two seasons in Columbia, Sakima Walker is thriving in a fresh start at California. The former JUCO National Player of the Year has struggled to find consistent minutes throughout her career, but that may be changing in Berkeley.
In Cal’s 74–65 loss to No. 19 Vanderbilt in Paris, Walker made an immediate impact. She earned the start — her first since December 2023 — and played a career-high 33 minutes, posting a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, both personal bests.
It marks a strong debut for Walker, who has now suited up for four programs in six years — Rutgers, Northwest Florida State, South Carolina, and now Cal — as she looks to finally lock down a stable and starring role.
As South Carolina begins its new campaign with fresh faces and championship expectations, two familiar names — Fulwiley and Walker — are already making headlines of their own across the country.
