Raven Johnson Faces Uncertain Final Season After Disappointing Year and Title Game Collapse
When South Carolina fell to UConn in the April 6, 2025 national championship game, the scene inside the locker room was heavy with frustration. Point guard Raven Johnson, who had just completed her fourth year with the Gamecocks, was left fielding questions about what went wrong — and about whether she’d even return for another season.
Johnson, who redshirted her freshman year following an ACL tear, technically had eligibility left. But after a season full of inconsistency and a brutal ending in Tampa, her future seemed uncertain. She refused to give a straight answer, brushing aside the questions with a grin and a vague, “Maybe.”
That hesitation reflected the kind of season she had endured. Johnson started the year shooting 0-for-8 in the opener against Michigan and went just 11-for-51 in her first eight games, including a dismal 0-for-13 from three. Even after fighting her way back to earn SEC All-Defensive honors, her offensive production cratered.
Her numbers told the story: from 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game in 2023-24, to just 4.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 2024-25. Her shooting also fell sharply, dropping to 35.0% overall and under 30% from beyond the arc.
Even now, as she prepares for what will be her final season, Johnson faces pressure to prove she can be more than just a defensive specialist. She admitted her offensive struggles hurt the team’s balance and has spent the offseason trying to reinvent her game.
“I’m about to put the ball in the basket,” Johnson insisted. “I think this offseason, I was very much focused on details, on scoring, really, (and) being consistent. I’m looking for myself a little bit. I feel like if I look for myself a little bit more, it will open up others… If people sag off me, I’m ready to knock the shot down.”
Head coach Dawn Staley has made it clear that Johnson’s leadership has lagged behind where it needs to be.
“It’s important for our point guards to have a voice on our teams,” Staley said. “We’d like for her to have gotten here a little sooner, but that’s her process. But we need her the most, the way she is right now, for our team this year.”
It’s a pointed reminder that for most of her career, Johnson has struggled to consistently step up. Staley now expects her to follow the example of Tyasha Harris, who didn’t fully embrace a leadership role until her senior year.
Johnson has tried to put a positive spin on it, saying, “I feel a lot different, honestly. I’m very excited about my progression, what I’m seeing from myself. I’ve put in a lot of work this summer, and it’s showing. I’m very excited for me and the team.”
Still, questions remain. South Carolina has made five straight Final Fours, but Johnson doesn’t even count the 2022 championship ring she technically owns because she was injured. Instead, she enters her last year knowing it’s her final chance to erase doubts and win one on the court.
“It’s very important,” Johnson admitted. “I mean, that’s the goal, to get back to the national championship, and it’s very hard to get back there.”
For Johnson, it’s do-or-die. After years of inconsistency and the sting of a crushing loss to UConn, her South Carolina legacy will be defined by what happens this season — for better or worse.
