The portal is open, the recruits are visiting, and South Carolina’s head coach is playing chess while everyone else plays checkers.
With Raven Johnson’s departure creating the most glaring void on the Gamecocks’ roster, Dawn Staley finds herself at a critical crossroads — but if this week’s activity is any indication, she’s not panicking. She’s hunting.
The Point Guard Problem — And Its Solution May Already Be On Campus
South Carolina returns four guards in Tessa Johnson, Maddy McDaniel, Agot Makeer, and Ayla McDowell, and while that sounds like depth on paper, the reality is more complicated. McDaniel is widely viewed as the internal heir to Raven Johnson’s point guard duties, but she’s an unproven commodity in that role at the highest level. Tessa Johnson, Makeer, and McDowell are all larger, off-ball guards — talented, but not natural floor generals.
That’s where Kymora Johnson enters the picture, and the fit is almost too obvious to ignore.
The Virginia junior is a three-time All-ACC selection who averaged 19.5 points and a league-leading 5.9 assists per game this past season — numbers that would have made her a centerpiece on virtually any roster in the country. She then turned heads further in March, averaging 22.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists as she single-handedly willed the Cavaliers to a Sweet 16 appearance. That’s not a player riding a hot streak; that’s a player announcing herself on the biggest stage available to her.
The connection to Staley runs deeper than basketball logic. Staley herself was a star at UVA before becoming one of the most decorated coaches in women’s college basketball history. Recruiting Johnson back to her alma mater’s rival feels personal — and that kind of emotional thread often matters in portal battles.
South Carolina is competing with TCU and UCLA for Johnson’s commitment, per On3’s Talia Goodman. Those are serious programs, but neither can offer what Columbia can: a direct path to a national championship and a Hall of Fame coach with a UVA bloodline.
Jordan Lee Is The Name Gamecock Fans Should Already Know — Because She’s Torched Them Before
While the Kymora Johnson pursuit grabs headlines, South Carolina quietly hosted Texas guard Jordan Lee on campus this week. Staley, Lee, and the team were spotted Tuesday night at USC’s baseball game against Davidson — the kind of relaxed, relationship-building environment Staley has long mastered in recruiting.
Lee’s numbers tell a straightforward story: 13.2 points per game in her sophomore season, starting 38 of 39 games, logging 31.7 minutes per night for one of the SEC’s most competitive programs. She was an All-SEC Freshman selection in 2025, and her trajectory has been consistently upward.
But what should genuinely intrigue South Carolina fans is her track record against South Carolina. Lee has faced the Gamecocks seven times and scored at least 10 points in each of the last four matchups, including a team-high 19 points in a win over USC in Las Vegas. That’s not coincidence — that’s a player who rises to the moment against elite competition. Staley has never been shy about recruiting players who’ve made her teams uncomfortable. She respects that kind of competitor.
Lee is also scheduled to visit TCU later this week, meaning South Carolina has a narrow window to make its impression count.
The Five-Star Who Got Away Might Be Coming Back
Perhaps the most electric storyline developing in Columbia this week involves someone who was never truly a Gamecock — but almost was.
Five-star forward Oliviyah Edwards, ranked No. 3 in the Class of 2026 by ESPN, visited South Carolina on Tuesday after being released from her letter of intent with Tennessee last week. A McDonald’s All-American and 6-foot-3 forward from Washington state, Edwards had South Carolina in her original top six last August alongside LSU, Tennessee, Southern Cal, Florida, and Washington.
The Gamecocks were in the running before Tennessee ultimately won her signature in November, and an official visit to Columbia was already scheduled for September before she committed early and cancelled the trip. Now, Staley gets a second chance at a recruitment that should never have slipped away.
Edwards is also visiting Louisville on Friday, per WBB insider Skim Milkey. The fact that she’s being welcomed into Columbia’s inner circle — baseball games, one-on-one time with Staley — suggests the Gamecocks aren’t treating this as a casual visit.
The Bigger Picture
What’s unfolding in Columbia this week isn’t just routine portal activity — it’s Staley methodically addressing every major roster need in a concentrated burst of recruiting energy. A dynamic point guard. A proven SEC scorer. A top-three recruit in the country.
Land even two of three, and South Carolina enters next season not just replacing what it lost, but potentially upgrading it. And if there’s one coach in women’s college basketball who has earned the benefit of the doubt in high-stakes recruiting moments, it’s Dawn Staley.
The portal window won’t stay open forever. But right now, South Carolina looks like it’s exactly where it wants to be.
