Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks continue to make noise in the transfer portal — and they’re not done yet.
After landing Ta’Niya Latson, widely considered the top player in the portal, Staley is now eyeing another elite talent: Gianna Kneepkens, a former Utah standout and one of the most dangerous perimeter threats in the nation.
According to On3’s Talia Goodman, Kneepkens will visit South Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and UCLA as she weighs her next move. The 6-foot wing from Minnesota, who missed most of the 2023-24 season due to injury, still has one year of eligibility remaining despite being a legitimate WNBA Draft prospect.
In her redshirt junior season, Kneepkens was electric — averaging 19.3 points, 5.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game. She shot an astounding 50.4% from the field, 44.8% from three, and 89.0% from the free-throw line, all on high volume. To put that in perspective: she outpaced every South Carolina player in made threes and free throws this past season. Many across women’s college basketball consider her the top shooter in the country.
But Kneepkens is far from one-dimensional. A three-time all-conference pick, she can create off the dribble, facilitate offense, and hold her own on the glass. Her all-around game makes her one of the most coveted players still available.
Even if South Carolina doesn’t land Kneepkens, the Gamecocks aren’t finished. Coach Staley has been clear: she’s looking to add a dominant post presence this offseason. Several high-profile forwards and centers have already been linked to South Carolina, signaling that the portal action is far from over in Columbia.
