The South Carolina Gamecocks program is coming off a tough (82-59) loss to the UConn Huskies in the national championship game. The loss was the first for head coach Dawn Staley in four trips to the final game. The blowout loss also shined a light on the biggest weakness on Staley’s team, and that is scoring and consistent offensive play from their guards.
One of those guards is sophomore sensation Milaysia Fulwiley, who was the team’s second-leading scorer this past season. But, following the loss and Staley adding the nation’s leading scorer in Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson in the transfer portal, in many ways the writing was on the wall for Fulwiley to hit the portal for a better situation for her unique skill set.
Per reports on Friday, the dynamic scoring guard plans to do just that, and of course fans everywhere believe they know where she fits best.
Fulwiley Will Have Plenty Of Suitors: Teaming With JuJu?
A player like Fulwiley, who possesses Allen Iverson type scoring ability will garner plenty of interest in the portal. One user mentioned her heading west to Los Angeles.
“Would love to see her team up with JuJu.”
While that sounds good, the mix of her and Watkins, who’s going to miss a bulk of next season recovering from a torn ACL, just doesn’t work from a basketball standpoint. Both are too ball dominant, and head coach Lisa Gottlieb likely wouldn’t want that.
Another user mentioned TCU. The Horned Frogs just helped resurrect the career of guard Hailey Van Lith, who in return led the program to its first ever Elite Eight.
“TCU coach has a proven track record of taking transfers and allowing them to be themselves. He lives in the portal so you know his coaching is a fluid style that fits his team, not making players fit his scheme.”
Fulwiley’s Style Clashed With Dawn Staley’s System
That seemed to be Fulwiley’s issue at South Carolina under the legendary Dawn Staley, who was enamored with the star guard’s abilities. But for some reason Staley couldn’t seem to develop her into a player who did the little things it took to win.
Fulwiley Is Signed To Under Armour
A determining factor in where she lands could be her current NIL deal with Steph Curry Brand which is under the shoe and apparel giant’s umbrella. It’d be in her best interest to transfer to a UA school like Maryland, Texas Tech, Utah or Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish would be the logical choice with star guard Hannah Hidalgo still there and her former teammate Olivia Miles already transferring to the aforementioned TCU.
The Fighting Irish under current head coach Niele Ivey and former legendary coach Muffet McGraw have a strong track record of guard development. Currently they have players like Jackie Young, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Kayla McBride and others playing at an extremely high level in the WNBA.
Fulwiley Shined In Columbia
Fulwiley isn’t leaving because she can’t play or struggled. It’s more about fit, and after two seasons it’s in her best interest to go somewhere that affords her more freedom as a player. In her two seasons at South Carolina she helped the Gamecocks go 73-4 overall, that included an undefeated (38-0) season last year and national championship. She was also named SEC Tournament MVP.
This season she was named SEC Sixth Player of the Year on a team that went 35-4 coming up just short of a repeat.
