From Coloring Books to Viral Moments: Chloe Kitts Reflects on Breakout Year and Turns 21 in Style
Chloe Kitts has had a whirlwind offseason following South Carolina’s tough loss to UConn in the national championship game back in April. The rising senior forward hasn’t slowed down since — representing Team USA at the 3X3 Nationals and making headlines in June when she attended the NBA Draft to support her boyfriend, Collin Murray-Boyles, who was selected No. 9 overall by the Toronto Raptors.
Kitts celebrated another big milestone this week — her 21st birthday. She shared photos on Instagram with her birthday cake, simply captioning the post with a champagne glass emoji:
“🥂”
Her South Carolina teammates quickly jumped in with love. Ta’Niya Latson dropped a string of heart emojis, while Tessa Johnson shared a touching message:
“You’re growing up on me.”
A Unique Pre-Game Ritual
Kitts also gained viral attention last season for her surprising and relatable pre-game habit — skipping music altogether and turning to something far more calming.
During an appearance on The Coop podcast, she opened up about her go-to routine before games — coloring in a book.
“I just put my earphones on because everyone else does,” Kitts said. “(Music) doesn’t really make me relax. It’s not bad to go see a therapist. You just go tell them how you feel … and they give you things to do to make you feel better. (My therapist) just tells me to color in a coloring book.”
Kitts explained she uses the Stress Relief: Bold-Easy Coloring Book in the locker room to ease anxiety. And when she’s not carrying the physical book, her iPad doubles as a creative outlet with a coloring app.
“If you don’t fill your mind with other stuff, if you get in too deep with basketball, then it’s just depressing. It’s sad,” she said. “It’s just one of the strategies I use to help me relax before games.”
And it clearly paid off.
A Star on the Rise
Kitts had a breakout season in 2023–24, becoming a full-time starter under Coach Dawn Staley. She averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting over 50% from the field. She also delivered one of the season’s signature performances — a triple-double against Ole Miss, becoming the first Gamecock to do so in SEC play since Aliyah Boston in 2021.
Kitts was named SEC Tournament MVP, leading South Carolina to another conference title. Though the Gamecocks fell just short of repeating as national champions, Kitts cemented herself as one of the program’s key players moving forward.
With a new season on the horizon and plenty of momentum behind her, Chloe Kitts is entering her senior year more confident, composed, and — as her viral birthday post proves — still very much in the spotlight.
