South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has built a reputation as one of the greatest developers of WNBA talent, consistently turning both elite high school prospects and transfer additions into professional-level players. And the latest projections show that trend continuing.
This week, ESPN released its updated 2025 WNBA Mock Draft, and two current Gamecocks landed inside the top 10.
According to ESPN analyst Michael Voepel, guard Ta’Niya Latson is projected to be selected No. 6 overall by the new Toronto Tempo, while forward Madina Okot is slotted at No. 10 to the Indiana Fever.
The Tempo’s inaugural roster is still impossible to predict, but if Okot does join Indiana, she would reunite with Gamecock superstar Aliyah Boston in the Fever frontcourt. Former USC guard Bree Hall finished the season with the Fever as well, though her contract only runs through 2025.
“The draft order of the expansion teams will be decided by coin flip; for now we have the Tempo here and the Portland Fire at No. 7. Latson led Division I in scoring at 25.2 PPG last season with Florida State. Now in a more balanced offense with No. 2 South Carolina, she is averaging 18.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 3.7 APG. Her 54.5% shooting from 3-point range is from too small a sample size (6 of 11) to judge it yet, but that would be a big step if she maintains it.”
He also highlighted Okot’s immediate impact at USC:
“Okot, who is from Kenya, transferred to spend her final season with the Gamecocks, and has fit in well. She leads South Carolina in rebounding (10.8 RPG) and blocks (2.2 BPG) while averaging 13.3 PPG. Like (Lauren) Betts, she is a more traditional center, but there is still a place for those players in the WNBA, especially if they defend well.”
Both Latson and Okot are newcomers to South Carolina this season, and both have stepped straight into starting roles with major production.
Latson has emerged as one of USC’s go-to scorers, averaging 18 points, nearly four assists, and almost four rebounds per game. Her ability to attack, create, and score at all three levels has blended seamlessly with point guard Raven Johnson and USC’s deep stable of post players.
Okot, meanwhile, has been a dominant interior force. She has recorded four double-doubles in six games, averaging 13.3 points and 10.8 rebounds while anchoring South Carolina’s defense with 2.2 blocks per game. Her physical style and low-block scoring have echoed past Gamecock greats who powered USC’s championship runs—A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Kamilla Cardoso.
Latson is in her final year of college eligibility after three seasons at Florida State. Okot’s future is less certain. She previously played two years in Kenya and one at Mississippi State, and Staley has said the Gamecocks will “fight like heck” to secure another year of eligibility for her. Still, the prospect of being a first-round WNBA pick may be tough for the 6-foot-6 center to pass up.
