“Gamecocks in the Postseason: A First-Round Playoff Guide to Watch Every Former Carolina Star” / sportsearchers.com

The 2026 WNBA playoffs tip off Sunday, September 27, with all four first-round series underway — and three of the four feature a former South Carolina Gamecock. It’s the end of the road for Kamilla Cardoso, Zia Cooke, and Sania Feagin, whose teams (Chicago, Seattle, Portland) didn’t make the postseason. The first round is best-of-three, with the second round starting October 4.

Atlanta Dream (#4 seed, 30-14) vs. Washington
Atlanta’s Gamecock trio is led by Allisha Gray, who logged 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game across all 44 contests this season. Madina Okot contributed efficiently off the bench (58.0 FG%), while Te-Hina Paopao shot 35.7% from three in a limited role. Washington took the season series 2-1, but neither team has played since August 7, and both are reportedly trending upward in form. Notably, this is Gray’s 10th season, and she’s never made it past the first round of the playoffs.

Game 1: Sun. Sept. 27, 7:00 ET (Amazon Prime)
Game 2: Wed. Sept. 30, 7:00 ET (ESPN)
Game 3 (if needed): Fri. Oct. 2

Golden State Valkyries (#2 seed, 32-12) vs. Dallas
The lone Gamecock here is Laeticia Amihere, averaging 3.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in a reserve role. Golden State swept the season series 3-0 against Dallas. The Valkyries made the playoffs in their debut season last year but were swept by Minnesota — they’re still chasing their first-ever playoff series win, and first playoff game win, in franchise history.

Game 1: Sun. Sept. 27, 9:00 ET (USA/CNBC)
Game 2: Wed. Sept. 30, 9:00 ET (ESPN)
Game 3 (if needed): Fri. Oct. 2

Indiana Fever (#6 seed, 28-16) vs. Las Vegas Aces
This matchup carries the most Gamecock storylines. Aliyah Boston anchors Indiana with a strong all-around line (16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 40.6% from three), but she’s dealing with an injury scare — she left Indiana’s regular-season finale with a leg injury and was listed as questionable heading into Game 1. Backup guard Tyasha Harris won’t play at all: Indiana announced she’ll miss the playoffs with a broken left fibula suffered in that same final game, meaning Raven Johnson is expected to step into the backup point guard role. Bree Hall, a developmental player, saw only brief action late in the season.

On the Vegas side, A’ja Wilson put up an MVP-caliber season — 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 40.4% from deep — while Ta’Niya Latson split limited developmental minutes between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

The two teams split their season series when both were at full strength, with Indiana’s lone clean win coming while Wilson sat out. The piece notes Las Vegas is the favorite but flags two complicating factors: the Aces are still adjusting to life without starting forward NaLyssa Smith, and their only win over Indiana with everyone healthy needed late-game heroics from veteran guard Chelsea Gray, nicknamed the “Point Gawd.”

Game 1: Sun. Sept. 27, 4:00 ET (ABC)
Game 2: Tue. Sept. 29, 6:30 ET (Amazon Prime)
Game 3 (if needed): Thu. Oct. 1

Bottom line: Gamecock alumnae are scattered across three of the four series, with the Fever-Aces matchup carrying the highest stakes and most injury uncertainty. Boston’s health status and Harris’s absence could shape how competitive Indiana’s underdog bid against Wilson and the Aces turns out to be.