On Monday, Sports Illustrated released the latest edition of its Around the W series, featuring standout guard MiLaysia Fulwiley as the special guest. During the conversation, host Maria Clifton dove into one of the offseason’s biggest talking points: why Fulwiley chose to leave her hometown school, South Carolina, to join SEC rival LSU.
Fulwiley didn’t shy away from explaining her decision.
“South Carolina’s a great program, but I’m from there,” Fulwiley said. “I’ve been there my whole life. [The] school is like 15 minutes away from my house, 12, so I kind of felt like I just needed a new environment. A new, fresh start.”
The Columbia native emphasized that her decision wasn’t about the Gamecocks’ success or culture, but rather her own personal growth. For Fulwiley, the chance to experience something different at this stage of her career outweighed the comfort of playing so close to home.
“I feel like everyone deserves a new, fresh start,” she explained. “While in college, while you have the chance to just leave, I think that’s when you should do it because in the W, you can’t just say you want to leave type way. It doesn’t work. I think it was more of me wanting a different environment and just seeing my goals and seeing where I want to be, seeing how those things align and I felt like that would be the best move.”
Fulwiley’s transfer sent shockwaves through women’s college basketball, especially given her electrifying freshman campaign with Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks. She was known for her speed, creativity, and ability to deliver highlight plays, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Columbia. But now, she will bring that same explosiveness to Baton Rouge, where Kim Mulkey and LSU continue to stack talent in their pursuit of another national title.
Her comments underline a growing reality in college sports — that players are using the transfer portal not only for more playing time or bigger opportunities, but also for personal reasons like environment and lifestyle. For Fulwiley, stepping out of her hometown bubble is about more than basketball; it’s about growth, independence, and charting her own path.
As she prepares for her debut season with the Tigers, all eyes will be on how Fulwiley transitions into her new environment — and how much of an impact she can make against the very program she once called home.
