Sparks Steal Sania Feagin Late in WNBA Draft as Gamecocks Go Back-to-Back-to-Back
For much of Monday night, it looked like no one from South Carolina’s powerhouse women’s basketball program would hear their name in the WNBA Draft — a shocking development given the team’s dominance.
Not a single Gamecock was called in the first round. Then five more picks passed in the second. Still nothing.
But in a whirlwind sequence, things changed fast.
At picks 18, 20, and 21, Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall, and Sania Feagin were selected back-to-back-to-back, marking a dramatic and satisfying turn of events for the trio of draft-eligible Gamecocks. Paopao went to the Atlanta Dream, Hall joined the Indiana Fever, and Feagin landed with the Los Angeles Sparks.
For many, the biggest surprise was how late Feagin was taken. Once projected as a potential first-rounder, her slide turned into a massive opportunity for the Sparks.
“Our whole war room was stunned that she was still available as late as she was,” said Sparks GM Raegan Pebley. “We wanted to bring some post depth, some center depth, some rim protection depth. But she’s also a player that I think has a runway ahead of her that will only expand her range and her abilities and her potential.”
Feagin’s résumé is hard to ignore.
She won 144 games and lost just seven over her four-year career at South Carolina. She remained loyal to the program all four years and walked away with two national championships.
“That is something you cannot dismiss,” Pebley added.
At a press conference later in the week, Pebley continued to heap praise on Feagin, calling out her resilience and growth during her time at South Carolina — especially given how long she waited behind a lineup of elite frontcourt players.
“Sania comes from a program that has had bigs that have transitioned really well into the WNBA… She’s been mentored really well,” Pebley said. “Even while staying committed to a process — like people keep saying that about her — but a lot of people don’t know what that means, actually, in real life.”
Feagin waited patiently behind WNBA standouts like Aliyah Boston, Laeticia Amihere, Victoria Saxton, and Kamilla Cardoso. But once her turn came as a senior, she delivered.
This past season, she averaged a career-best 8.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, starting every contest. She earned All-SEC Defensive Team honors, was named to the All-SEC Tournament Team, and made the NCAA All-Regional Team.
“Waiting your turn is way harder than people realize,” Pebley said. “It’s not just about game day… it’s about that every single day in practice. So we definitely filtered that in our choice of Sania, just that toughness and resiliency that she has.”
Even Sarah Ashlee Barker, the Sparks’ No. 9 overall pick, who competed against Feagin while playing at Georgia and Alabama, shared admiration for her new teammate.
“Like Raegan was saying, she’s waited her turn, but she’s done it in the most humble and respectful way,” Barker said. “She’s truly put in the work. She has truly tried to be her best self every single day… and you can just tell that by how she acts and how she plays.”
On the court, Feagin‘s presence is undeniable.
“She’s going to be a great defender… She’s a great shot blocker,” Barker continued. “She brings so much to the team… But she can also score too — if she’s going one on one, she can beat her defender. She knows how to kick the ball out and get people open shots.”
Now officially signed to a rookie contract, Sania Feagin will head to WNBA training camp beginning April 27, ready to show she was a late-round steal — and a force in the making.
