| No. 8–South Carolina Gamecocks | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Southeastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | January 30, 2006 Camden, South Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| High school |
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| College | South Carolina (2024–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Joyce Edwards (born January 30, 2006) is an American college basketball player for South Carolina. She attended Camden High School and was a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class.
Edwards attended Camden High School. During her junior year she averaged 28.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.9 assists and led Camden to the 3A state championship. Following the season she was named South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year. [1]
During her senior year she averaged 31.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 3.3 blocks and four assists per game and led Camden to their second consecutive 3A state championship. [2] Following the season she was named South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and Gatorade National Player of the Year. [3] [4] She was also named Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. [5]
Edwards played in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Girls Game, where she scored a game-high 19 points and was named co-MVP along with Sarah Strong. [6] [7] [8] She competed at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit, where she led Team USA with 25 points, nine rebounds, and five steals. [9] She scored 17 points in the second half, helping lead team USA to a comeback victory over the world team. [10] She then competed at the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic, where she scored a game-high 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists, six steals and two blocks, and was named MVP. [11]
Edwards was considered a five-star recruit and the number two player in the 2024 class, according to ESPN. [12] On November 15, 2023, she signed her National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play college basketball at South Carolina, over offers from LSU and Clemson. [13] She was the highest-rated player from South Carolina since A'ja Wilson was No. 1 in 2014. [14]
Edwards represented the United States at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Women's Basketball World Cup, where she was the youngest member on the roster. [15] During the tournament she averaged 12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in seven games. She was named to the all-tournament team after helping the United States win a gold medal. [16] [17]
On May 19, 2024, Edwards was named to team USA's roster for the 2024 FIBA Under-18 Women's AmeriCup. [18] During the tournament she led team USA in scoring, and ranked fourth overall in the tournament, with 14.2 points per game. She also averaged 7.2 rebounds and 2 steals in six games. During the final against Canada she recorded 16 points, a team-high 13 rebounds and five steals for her second double-double of the tournament to help the United States win a gold medal. She was subsequently named tournament MVP. [19]
Dawn Michelle Staley is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team. A point guard, she played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers and spent eight seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), primarily with the Charlotte Sting. Staley also played on the United States women's national basketball team, winning three gold medals at the Olympic Games from 1996 to 2004, and was the head coach of the team that won an Olympic gold medal in 2021. She is the first person to win the Naismith Award as both a player and a coach.
Sindarius Thornwell is an American professional basketball player for Zastal Zielona Góra of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). He played college basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Thornwell was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 48th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft before he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Gabrielle Lisa Williams is an American-French professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League and EuroLeague Women. She was drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2018 WNBA draft. In 2022 she was a EuroLeague champion with Sopron and was named the Final Four MVP. Williams played forward in college for the UConn Huskies, and won back to back national championships in 2015 and 2016. She has played for the French national team in the Tokyo 2020 and the Paris 2024 Olympic games.
A'ja Riyadh Wilson is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Christyn Williams is an American women's basketball player who is a free agent. She was drafted by the Washington Mystics. She played college basketball at the University of Connecticut (UConn). She played in high school for Central Arkansas Christian School in North Little Rock, Arkansas. A five-star recruit and one of the most decorated high school basketball players in history, Williams rose to national acclaim after winning the 2018 WBCA National Player of the Year award, the 2018 Naismith National Player of the Year award the 2018 Gatorade National Player of the Year award, and the 2018 USA Today Player of the Year award. Williams also was named a McDonald's All-American, where she was named the game's MVP after scoring 22 points and leading the West team to an 82-79 victory. Williams was awarded the Morgan Wootten Award, which is given each year to "the McDonald's All American who best exhibits outstanding character, leadership and the values of a student-athlete in the classroom and the community". Williams was also named to the 2018 Jordan Brand Classic team.
Maik-Kalev Kotsar is an Estonian professional basketball player for the Yokohama B-Corsairs of the Japanese B.League. He played two seasons for Saski Baskonia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for South Carolina Gamecocks. Kotsar also has played for the Estonia men's national basketball team as well as the Estonia men's national 3x3 team. Listed at 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) and 270 pounds (122 kg), he plays the center position.
Paige Madison Bueckers is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference.
Aliyah Boston is an American professional basketball power forward and center for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was named 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote and the AP Rookie of the Year. She played college basketball at the University of South Carolina.
Charli Collier is an American professional basketball player for the UC Capitals of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She was a First-Team All-Big 12 Conference selection in 2020 for the Texas Longhorns.
Laeticia Amihere is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Perth Lynx of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She is also contracted with the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Hailey Ann Van Lith is an American college basketball player for the TCU Horned Frogs. She previously played for the Louisville Cardinals and the LSU Tigers.
Destanni Mone Henderson is an American professional basketball player for Danilo's Pizza of the Turkish Super League. She previously played for the Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and Atlanta Dream in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Henderson played college basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks, helping her team win the national championship and earning first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior. At Fort Myers Senior High School, she won three straight state titles, was a McDonald's All-American selection and was rated as the number one point guard in her class by ESPN. Henderson competes for the United States national team and won a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup.
Breanna Beal is an American basketball player who is a free agent. She played college basketball at South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Kira Carroll "Kiki" Rice is an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 Conference. She played for Sidwell Friends School at the high school level, where she was one of the top recruits in her class and earned national player of the year honors as a senior.
Valerie Nainima is a Fijian former basketball player and current assistant head coach for Providence. She is also a member of Fiji women's national basketball team.
Raven Johnson is an American college basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Syla Swords is a Canadian college basketball player for Michigan. She attended Long Island Lutheran and was a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class. She is also a member of Canada women's national basketball team.
Chloe Kitts is an American college basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Madison Booker is an American college basketball player for the Texas Longhorns, which will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2024.
Jaloni Cambridge is an American college basketball player for the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference. She attended Montverde Academy and was a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class.
