“She prepared me a lot”: Dawn Staley receives high praise from Pheonix Mercury’s Kiki Herbert Harrigan

Dawn Staley dropped an appreciative text to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan after her clutch shot in the fourth to net a go-ahead three-pointer for the Phoenix Mercury. Brittney Griner deployed a bounce pass out of a double team to Harrigan on the strong side wing, leading to a big-time bucket. The Los Angeles Sparks never led the game after that.

When Mikiah Herbert Harrigan was probed about her former coach’s impact on her growth, the British player radiated the long-lasting effects on her mindset.

“She prepared me a lot,” Harrigan said. “One of her sayings that always stuck with me was, ‘Never get too high with the highs, or low with the lows.’ So I’ve always thought about that throughout and just being ready. That’s about it,” she added.

Harrigan is one of ten Dawn Staley players in the WNBA. She was part of the South Carolina Gamecocks' first-ever championship run in 2017 during her freshman year. She was known mostly for her defensive intensity and played a huge role in an Elite Eight run (2018) and three SEC championships.

Harrigan’s best season came during her senior year as she averaged 13.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 50.6% from the field and 43.5% from the three.

3 top recruits from 2025 are eyeing Dawn Staley's Gamecocks

Even before the 2024-25 season nears commencement, Dawn Staley’s staff is eyed by three top-10 players from the next year’s class. Divine Bourrage, Agot Makeer and ZaKiyah Johnson have the South Carolina program listed as one of their top schools.

Bourrage received a scholarship from Gamecocks a day after Staley went to Des Moines to watch the guard play. Johnson won U18 FIBA AmeriCup gold with Dawn Staley’s current player Joyce Edwards in the U18 FIBA AmeriCup and has three Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year awards.

While Makeer has yet to narrow her list down like Bourrage and Johnson, she is highly sought after due to her position-less style of basketball. She is a versatile player who can play pretty much in each position.

The three players also have other offers from programs like Notre Dame, Louisville, LSU, Kentucky and Duke. Nevertheless, Staley will have enough opportunities to get them in Gamecocks jerseys through an official school visit soon.