3 South Carolina women's basketball players to watch out for in 2024-25 season ft. Raven Johnson

Dawn Staley's South Carolina is poised for another phenomenal season with a loaded roster as they prepare for the upcoming campaign.

South Carolina has been incredibly successful in women's college basketball recently, winning the NCAA national championship twice in the last three years.

However, their key player in that title-winning run, Kamilla Cardoso, has departed for the WNBA, which could prove to be a significant loss for USC. But on the brighter side, other players now have the opportunity to take on more significant roles.

Raven Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Ashlyn Watkins, Te-Hina Paopao and Tessa Johnson had decent performances last season. Coach Staley also brought in three incoming freshmen to the roster.

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3 South Carolina players to keep an eye on in 2024-25 season

#3 Joyce Edwards

Joyce Edwards, a 6-foot-2 forward, pledged to join the South Carolina Gamecocks in Nov. 2023. As per ESPN, she is a five-star recruit and is ranked as the second-best player in the 2024 class.

Edwards had a great season last year, averaging 31.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.5 steals per game. She led Camden High to their second straight 3A state championship glory.

Thanks to her impressive stats, Edwards received the 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year award and was also named Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. She became the highest-rated recruit to join USC since A'ja Wilson.

#2 MiLaysia Fulwiley

The 2024 SEC tournament MVP MiLaysia Fulwiley ended her season with 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game in her freshman year.

Fulwiley's elite basketball IQ and playmaking abilities make her stand out in the USC locker room. She played a key role in USC's victory at the SEC tournament.

Fulwiley also made it onto the SEC All-Freshman Team and was awarded MVP after scoring a season-best 24 points in a 79-72 win against LSU in the championship game.

#1 Raven Johnson

Raven Johnson returned to South Carolina for her fourth year of college basketball. Despite missing the entire freshman year because of a knee injury, Johnson made her comeback the following season. She is now a potential leader to fill in Cardoso's position.

Johnson's final four performances made it evident that coach Staley has her leader. If USC is aiming to secure back-to-back championship success, it is definitely possible under Raven Johnson's leadership.

In 2023-24, she scored an average of 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Besides, her three-point shooting improved by 11% compared to her freshman year.