The work never stops in Columbia.
While the college basketball offseason quietly ticks forward, Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts have been spotted doing exactly what South Carolina’s program is built on — stacking days in the gym, putting in reps, and building toward what could be the most anticipated Gamecocks season in recent memory. Recent footage shared via Sweat Elite on X captures the two forwards shooting threes, working in the paint, and competing through individual workouts that signal both players are locked in, healthy, and hungry.
For a program that has spent the better part of two years watching these two sit and wait, the images carry a weight that goes far beyond a summer workout video.
Two Players, Two Journeys Back
The story of Watkins and Kitts arriving at this moment together is one of the most compelling subplots in all of college basketball heading into 2026-27 — because neither of them was supposed to be here easily.
Watkins suffered a torn ACL on January 5 against Mississippi State and subsequently announced she would take a full leave of absence from the program for the 2025-26 season to focus on her health, her faith, and her family. In her own words at the time: “I’m so grateful for my coaches, the USC medical team, my teammates, and everyone who’s supported me along the way. For now, I’ll be cheering on my team and working hard to come back even stronger in the 2026-27 season.”
Chloe Kitts similarly spent the entire 2025-26 season sidelined due to an ACL tear sustained just prior to its start. Rather than disappear into rehabilitation in private, Kitts remained actively involved with the team during her recovery, attending games and participating in limited practice drills. The commitment to staying connected — to staying a Gamecock even when she couldn’t play like one — spoke volumes about her character and her investment in what Dawn Staley is building.
Now both are back. And from the footage circulating, they are not easing their way in.
What These Two Bring Back to South Carolina
The basketball case for why Watkins and Kitts returning together is genuinely transformative starts with what they individually represent — and what they become when paired on the same front line.
In her junior season, Watkins was South Carolina’s best interior defender — even better than SEC Defensive Player of the Year Kamilla Cardoso — playing bigger than her 6-foot-3 frame and anchoring a rim protection operation that made the Gamecocks one of the most difficult teams in the country to score against in the paint. She averaged career numbers of 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game across her time in Columbia, but statistics alone have never captured what she does defensively. Her ability to protect the rim, alter shots, and deter opponents from even attempting interior drives is the kind of impact that shows up in opponent field goal percentages and shot charts rather than box scores.
Kitts brings a different but equally valuable profile. In her junior season, she posted career highs in points at 10.2, rebounds at 7.7, assists at 1.9, and steals at 0.7, earning SEC Tournament MVP honors with averages of 16.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in that run. She finished the 2025 NCAA Tournament with two double-doubles, including 15 points and 11 rebounds in the Sweet 16. Kitts is the kind of forward who impacts games across multiple dimensions — she can score in the post, rebound on both ends, and elevate in high-pressure moments when the game demands her best.
The sight of both players in the gym working on their three-point shooting and paint work simultaneously isn’t just encouraging — it’s a preview of a frontcourt combination that could be among the most formidable in the entire sport.
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What It Means for the 2026-27 Roster
Dawn Staley said clearly of Watkins’ expected return: “I mean, Ashlyn took a year off. She will come back when that year is up. That’s sometime in May.” That timeline has now arrived — and the workout footage confirms what Staley projected with confidence months ago.
Watkins brings South Carolina’s roster to 15 players, which is the program limit. The pieces around her and Kitts are considerable: Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson anchor the backcourt, Jerzy Robinson and Oliviyah Edwards headline a landmark incoming class, and international additions Alicia Tournebize and Justine Loubens add European professional experience to a deep and versatile rotation.
All three of South Carolina’s national championship teams have had a game-changer protecting the rim. The 2026-27 team now has one in Watkins. That continuity with championship DNA isn’t accidental — it’s architectural. Staley has built each of her title runs around elite rim protection and interior physicality, and Watkins’ return restores the defensive pillar that was missing when the Gamecocks fell to UCLA in this past season’s national championship game.
The Bigger Picture
What the workout footage of Watkins and Kitts ultimately represents is something beyond basketball preparation. These are two players who spent an entire year watching from the sidelines — one recovering from a torn ACL, the other navigating a deeply personal journey — while their teammates competed for national championships without them.
The hunger that produces is real. The perspective it creates is irreplaceable.
South Carolina’s 2026-27 season hasn’t started. The preseason rankings haven’t been released. But in a gym somewhere in Columbia, two of the program’s most important players are already stacking days — and putting the rest of women’s college basketball on notice that the Gamecocks are coming back with something to prove.
