South Carolina’s Future Stars: McDonald’s All-Americans Ready to Shine for Dawn Staley
Dawn Staley has built a powerhouse at South Carolina, and the pipeline of elite talent continues with Ayla McDowell and Agot Makeer—the latest Gamecock commits set to showcase their skills in the McDonald’s All-American Game on Tuesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
With 10 former McDonald’s All-Americans on this season’s roster, Staley and the Gamecocks have faced criticism from rival coaches like Kentucky’s Kenny Brooks and LSU’s Kim Mulkey for stockpiling top-tier talent. But Staley doesn’t apologize for her recruiting success.
“I would imagine that no one’s turning down McDonald’s All-Americans,” Staley said. “We’re just fortunate. And just so you know, just because you got a McDonald’s All-American doesn’t mean you got a great player.”
Makeer and McDowell Ready to Make an Impact
With four starters departing, Staley has already set expectations for Makeer and McDowell.
“She has told me to come in ready and be prepared,” said Makeer, a 6-foot-1 wing who committed to South Carolina earlier this month. “The way she coaches is amazing, and she does such great things for women’s basketball. I’m excited to represent her and South Carolina.”
Makeer, ranked No. 4 in the 2025 class by ESPN’s HoopGurlz, played at Montverde Academy in Florida but missed the latter part of the season due to injury. In 13 games, she averaged 10 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Despite the setback, she’ll compete in Tuesday’s game and the Chipotle Nationals on Friday.
During her recruitment, former Gamecock and WNBA star Aliyah Boston gave Makeer valuable advice.
“I talked to Aliyah Boston during my recruitment, and she gave me a lot of advice because her recruitment was very similar,” Makeer said. “I really appreciated it. I just want to bring energy and scoring to the team when I get there.“
McDowell’s High-Scoring Legacy and Staley’s Tough Advice
McDowell, ranked No. 22 in the 2025 class, was the first Gamecock signee of the cycle and comes to South Carolina after a prolific high school career at Cypress Springs High School in Texas, where she scored 2,713 career points.
Staley has already begun coaching McDowell from afar.
“She is big on the defensive side, so if you don’t play defense, she isn’t going to give you the minutes,” McDowell revealed. “But she also has been telling me to be more selfish with the ball.”
A natural playmaker, McDowell admitted she often passes up shots to set up teammates. That will need to change under Staley’s leadership.
“I know she will help me with that when I get to South Carolina.”
McDowell, a 6-foot-1 guard, averaged 25.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals, and 3.3 assists in her final high school season. Before heading to Columbia, she’ll get a taste of professional competition—she’s been selected to play for Brazil’s National Team in WNBA preseason matchups against the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever.
“She is a player’s coach and knows how to help players on and off the court,” McDowell said of Staley. “She instills a lot of confidence in her players, and to be able to play for her is a huge honor.”
What’s Next for South Carolina?
The Gamecocks are preparing for their fifth straight Final Four appearance, set to face Texas on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Meanwhile, the McDonald’s All-American Game will give South Carolina fans an early glimpse of their future stars.
📺 How to Watch McDonald’s All-American Game
- When: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. ET (Girls), 9 p.m. ET (Boys)
- TV/Stream: Girls game on ESPN2, Boys on ESPN (also available on ESPN app & Watch ESPN)
With McDowell and Makeer in the mix, South Carolina’s dominance under Dawn Staley shows no signs of slowing down.
