12 Gamecocks Make WNBA Opening Day Rosters
COLUMBIA, S.C. – All 12 South Carolina women’s basketball alumnae who entered 2026 WNBA training camp in April were named to their team’s opening day rosters tonight. It is the most Gamecocks to be active on opening day in program history and gives head coach Dawn Staley’s program the second-most entries of any university this season. The Gamecocks’ nine additions to the league in the last five years are the most of any college program. South Carolina’s 12 roster spots lead the SEC, which has a total of 36 alumnae on rosters, including those on developmental contracts.
The highest profile player in the WNBA is a Gamecock with A’ja Wilson winning a league-record four MVP trophies in her first eight seasons with the Las Vegas Aces. The Gamecocks’ first overall No. 1 selection in 2018 went on to claim WNBA Rookie of the Year honors has been an All-WNBA selection six times and earned five All-Star nods. She has earned Defensive Player of the Year honors three times and guided the Aces to three WNBA Championships over the last four seasons.
Guard and two-time WNBA All-Star Allisha Gray is the longest tenured Gamecock in the group, entering her 10th season in the league and her third in Atlanta. She was the fourth overall pick of Dallas in 2017 and was the Gamecocks’ first WNBA Rookie of the Year. Gray has welcomed a Gamecock to her team in Atlanta each of the last two seasons. Guard Te-Hina Paopao is back for her second season after being selected in the second round by the Dream in 2025. The team added center Madina Okot in the 2026 draft with its No. 13 overall pick after she wrapped up her college career as an All-SEC selection for the Gamecocks.
The Indiana Fever also boast three Gamecocks on their roster with 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick and Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston welcoming six-year veteran Tyasha Harris back to the Fever, which drafted her seventh overall in 2020, via free agency. The Fever added rookie guard Raven Johnson with the 10th pick in the 2026 draft following her All-America and SEC Defensive Player of the Year senior season at South Carolina.
The Los Angeles Sparks have picked up a Gamecock each of the last two seasons, beginning with forward Sania Feagin in the second round of the 2025 draft. She reclaimed a roster spot this season while adding arguably the steal of the 2026 draft in guard Ta’Niya Latson in the second round following her fourth-straight All-America campaign.
Two more 2023 draftees are still in the league with forward Laeticia Amihere earning a roster spot for the fourth season, playing for the Golden State Valkyries this season. She began her career in Atlanta, where she played for two seasons after the Dream drafted her with the eighth overall pick. Guard Zia Cooke is back with the Seattle Storm for the second season after spending her first two in Los Angeles as the 10th overall pick in 2023.
Center Kamilla Cardoso rounds out the group as she enters her third season in Chicago, where she picked up WNBA All-Rookie honors after the Sky made her the third overall pick in the 2024 draft.
In program history, 23 Gamecocks have played in the WNBA, including 19 in Staley’s 17-year tenure. Six Gamecocks have been named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team with three claiming WNBA Rookie of the Year honors – Gray (2017), Wilson (2018), Boston (2023). Two of Staley’s alums have won WNBA Championships and three have been named to at least one WNBA All-Star team.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.
