5 key targets for South Carolina women's basketball, Dawn Staley in 2024 recruiting class
COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball is entering the home stretch for its 2024 recruiting class with the early signing period set to open Nov. 8.
Coach Dawn Staley has landed a single commitment so far from No. 12 prospect Madisen McDaniel, a five-star point guard from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The 5-foot-9 McDaniel is the No. 1 point guard in the class and the Gamecocks' highest-rated commitment since signing No. 2 prospect Raven Johnson — also the No. 1 point guard — in the Class of 2021.
While signing day is fast approaching, South Carolina regularly picks up most of its commitments in the final weeks of the process. The team did not land its first 2023 signee Sahnya Jah until Oct. 13 last year, and the other three members of the class all committed between Oct. 19 and Nov. 10.
As the recruiting cycle heats up, here are five key targets still on the board for the Gamecocks in the Class of 2023:
Joyce Edwards, forward
Height: 6-2
Class ranking: No. 2
Edwards is the highest-rated recruit out of South Carolina since A'ja Wilson was No. 1 in 2014, and keeping the Camden star at home is one of the top priorities for the Gamecocks. Staley has signed all five of the state's top-35 prospects since 2014 and six of nine since she took over the program in 2008.
Edwards has elite athleticism, also earning all-state honors in soccer and volleyball, and she is a relentless rebounder who controls the paint with physicality. The 6-2 forward averaged 28.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.9 assists in her junior season, leading Camden to the 3A state championship. Edwards also helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer alongside Gamecocks sophomore Chloe Kitts.
Mackenly Randolph, forward
Height: 6-1
Class ranking: No. 21
Randolph narrowed her decision to a top five in August that includes South Carolina, Duke, Louisville, Michigan State and Notre Dame. The 6-1 forward is the daughter of two-time NBA All-Star Zach Randolph, who played a season at Michigan State in 2000-01 before spending 18 years in the pros.
Like Edwards, Randolph is a dominant paint presence who excels on the boards, and her footwork jumps out on film on both sides of the ball. She also has speed on the dribble and strong vision, making her a versatile weapon who could play either the three or four in college. Randolph plays at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, California, the same school that produced No. 1 2023 prospect Juju Watkins and Bronny James.
Kennedy Smith, wing
Height: 6-1
Class ranking: No. 6
Smith, a wing from Etiwanda, California, is choosing between a top five of the Gamecocks, Southern California, UCLA, Duke and Louisville. South Carolina has historically struggled to recruit on the West Coast, but Staley did land former Oregon guard Te-Hina Paopao out of the transfer portal this offseason. Her older brother R.J. plays at Colorado.
Smith averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while 43.5% from 3-point range on the highly-competitive Nike EYBL circuit this summer. She also led her high school team to its first state championship in program history as a junior, averaging 24.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.5 steals. She's coveted by the Gamecocks as one of the best defenders in the class, but she's also a two-way weapon on offense with both post presence and consistent shooting from range.
Sarah Strong, forward
Height: 6-2
Class ranking: No. 1
Strong is from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, and the Gamecocks have signed just three players from the neighboring state since 2014. Saniya Rivers signed as the No. 3 prospect in 2021 but has since transferred to NC State, and the most recent before her was LeLe Grissett in 2017. Strong has not named her top choices but has interest from most of the perennial powers — UConn, LSU and UCLA among others.
South Carolina hasn't landed a No. 1 player since Wilson, but Strong's program-defining potential stands out even among the star-studded top of the 2023 class. She is exactly the kind of player that Staley is drawn to: High basketball IQ, powerful physicality in the paint and elite vision as a passer. What Strong lacks in speed she makes up for with technical precision and an impressive sense of timing that makes her equally prolific on offense and defense.
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Adhel Tac, center
Height: 6-5
Class ranking: No. 33
Tac, who also has Georgia, UNC and Louisville in her top four, fills a big need for the Gamecocks in 2024-25 with her size. She would be the tallest player on South Carolina's roster next season after 6-7 senior Kamilla Cardoso presumably enters the 2024 WNBA Draft. Staley maximized Cardoso and Aliyah Boston with both averaging near double-doubles in 2022-23, and an elite post player is a staple in the Gamecocks' defensive system.
Tac missed most of her junior season at South Grand Prairie High School in Texas after an undisclosed season-ending injury but averaged 14.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as a sophomore in 2021-22. She is a bit more raw than some of South Carolina's higher-rated targets and might take some time to reach college-readiness, but Staley has a track record of developing bigs from Alaina Coates as SEC Freshman of the Year in 2014 to Wilson and Boston as Naismith Trophy winners.
Follow South Carolina women's basketball beat reporter Emily Adams on X @eaadams6 and subscribe to The Greenville News for exclusive Gamecocks content: https://subscribe.greenvilleonline.com/offers.
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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dawn Staley recruiting targets for South Carolina in 2024 class
