Teary-eyed MiLaysia Fulwiley makes emotional confession on her roots: "I could've easily went down the street with my friends and do the bad stuff"

MiLaysia Fulwiley grew up playing basketball in Keenan, Columbia, South Carolina, also the home of Dawn Staley's Gamecocks. The guard was the No. 13 prospect who drew attention for her incredible skills despite her young age.

Fulwiley began playing basketball in the children’s church league when she was just 4 years old. She then made it to the W.J. Keenan High School varsity team in seventh grade. MiLaysia Fulwiley recalled her times playing on the court in her neighborhood in a YouTube video for the Gamecocks channel.

The sophomore revealed that she would first play with the girls' team and then go to the Metal Lakes gym to play with the boys. She added that, despite growing up in a tough neighborhood, basketball helped her stay on the right path.

"Just being able to do it coming out of somewhere like this just meant a lot to me, because I could have easily went down the street with my friends and did the bad stuff, but I just used to stay here and just play basketball."

As her emotions took over, MiLaysia Fulwiley recounted her mother's advice to never get complacent. Thanking her support system, the guard said:

"I feel like I just knew that I was going to be in the shoes that I am in today and I'm just happy that I stayed the course, because people, they used to make false narratives about me, say I was bad and stuff like that, but really I'm just from somewhere like this. So I'm just excited that I could be able to come back here and tell my story."

MiLaysia Fulwiley shares her thoughts on playing for Dawn Staley

South Carolina was one of the first programs to offer MiLaysia Fulwiley a spot on the team, and the guard chose to stay with her home team. Fulwiley's mother, Phelliccia Mixon, wanted the guard to choose a coach who would help her grow, and Dawn Staley has been doing just that.

Commenting on her time with the coach in an interview with Greenville News, the sophomore said:

"To be able to play in a program as good as this, coached under one of the best coaches in the world and be home at the same time, it just means a lot," Fulwiley said (via The State). "I just know that the younger version of myself would be so proud of how far I've come."

“It makes me feel comfortable just knowing that I got somebody like her on my side,” Fulwiley said. “If only I got somebody like her that’s just making sure I’m doing everything right.”

Fulwiley and South Carolina are on a run to defend their 2024 national championship win. They will play Missouri next on Thursday.