“A lot of people would have quit” : South Carolina star Raven Johnson gets candid about facing challenges as student-athlete

South Carolina Gamecocks star Raven Johnson led the team to the national championship with her impressive displays on the court. However, the road to glory has been full of bumps.

In a cover story by "The Players' Tribune," Johnson talked about the hardships she faced as a student-athlete.

In the Final Four matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023, Johnson became part of the meme culture after Caitlin Clark refused to defend Johnson from beyond the arc, implying that she would not make that shot from that range.

However, she got her revenge and brought home the national championship, averaging 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game and shooting 44.3% from the field.

In the cover story, Johnson admits that she had difficulty deciding whether to continue the grind or give up.

"I look back on that now and realize I’ve had a lot of moments in my life where I’ve had a decision to make: Do I tap out, or keep going? A lot of people would have quit if they were in my shoes. Success is never easy. There’s going to be some bumps in the road…. And while the lows feel never-ending, I made it out stronger every time."

Raven Johnson admitted that winning the national championship was a surreal feeling and she looked forward to the next season.

"From Paris to Cleveland, we showed out each night and we made history while doing it. If I’m being honest, I don’t know if what we’ve accomplished will ever sink in," said Johnson. "Being a part of South Carolina’s legacy in this way, at a time when women’s basketball is reaching new heights … it’s so surreal. There’s no telling what we’ll do next year.

"We’re just getting started. I’m just getting started. I’ve been challenged in every possible way, and instead of quitting, I let the hard times make good times."

Raven Johnson gave credit to Anthony Edwards

After the infamous Caitlin Clark incident, Raven Johnson stated that she locked herself up in her room and only left to get some food. She used to cry every day and even started missing her classes. She also said she was in a low place and did not want to be seen.

When she needed someone to lift her up, it was Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards who called to check on her and gave her some words of motivation.

"Even Anthony Edwards called to check on me. We go way back. We used to play 1-on-1 in our high school days, so it meant a lot when he reached out. He basically told me to use it as fuel to sharpen my game.

"I remember he was like 'Don’t let this bring you down. You know who you are … so you can’t let this situation change you. You need to get in the gym and work on your weakness.… Nothing’s going to be handed to you.'

Being a modern-day student-athlete is not an easy task. People are continuously monitoring your moves on social media and balancing academics and sports is extremely tough. However, Raven Johnson did incredibly well to keep her head up and overcome her period of hardships.

What do you think is in store for Raven Johnson and the South Carolina Gamecocks?