South Carolina women’s basketball trio makes Naismith watch list

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On Monday, three South Carolina women’s basketball stars found themselves on a major preseason watch list. The 2024-2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year dropped around lunchtime. 50 players from all over the country make up the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list. For the Gamecocks, the watch list includes a trio of guards. Just like the preseason All-SEC teams, Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, and MiLaysia Fulwiley received the honor.

All of the Naismith Awards (including the Naismith Trophy) will release updated watch lists at various points of the season. The Naismith Trophy will go to the nation’s top player during the Final Four. Previously, both A’ja Wilson (2017-2018) and Aliyah Boston (2021-2022) won the honor for South Carolina. Boston won the award during a National Championship season, as well.

This year, USC joins Southern Cal, UCLA, Notre Dame, Texas, and LSU as the only teams with three players on the preseason watch list. South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and her team are the championship favorites, but the other five teams mentioned will be some of their biggest competition this season; as six of the best teams in the sport this year, their rosters make up 19 of the 50 preseason selections.

14 players on the list are from SEC schools. That number ties the BIG Ten for the most from a single conference. The Gamecocks will play 22 of the 50 players on the watch list during the regular season.

[See what Gamecock fans are saying on The Insiders Forum!]

The entire 2024-2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year preseason watch list from the Naismith Awards press release is listed below:

LAST NAME FIRST NAME FULL NAME CLASS POS SCHOOL CONFERENCE
Amoore Georgia Georgia Amoore Graduate Student G Kentucky SEC
Andrews Sarah Sarah Andrews Graduate Student G Baylor Big 12
Barker Sarah Ashlee Sarah Ashlee Barker Graduate Student G Alabama SEC
Beers Raegan Raegan Beers Junior C Oklahoma SEC
Betts Lauren Lauren Betts Junior C UCLA Big Ten
Booker Madison Madison Booker Sophomore F Texas SEC
Bueckers Paige Paige Bueckers Senior G UConn BIG EAST
Citron Sonia Sonia Citron Senior G Notre Dame ACC
Cook Makira Makira Cook Fifth Year G Illinois Big Ten
Crooks Audi Audi Crooks Sophomore C Iowa State Big 12
Ejim Yvonne Yvonne Ejim Fifth Year F Gonzaga WCC
Fudd Azzi Azzi Fudd Junior G UConn BIG EAST
Fulwiley MiLaysia MiLaysia Fulwiley Sophomore G South Carolina SEC
Harmon Rori Rori Harmon Senior G Texas SEC
Hidalgo Hannah Hannah Hidalgo Sophomore G Notre Dame ACC
Iriafen Kiki Kiki Iriafen Graduate Student F USC Big Ten
James Aziaha Aziaha James Senior G NC State ACC
Jensen Lauren Lauren Jensen Senior G Creighton BIG EAST
Johnson Flau’jae Flau’jae Johnson Junior G LSU SEC
Johnson Raven Raven Johnson Junior G South Carolina SEC
Kelly Deja Deja Kelly Graduate Student G Oregon Big Ten
Kneepkens Gianna Gianna Kneepkens Junior G Utah Big 12
Latson Ta’Niya Ta’Niya Latson Junior G Florida State ACC
Lee Ayoka Ayoka Lee Graduate Student C Kansas State Big 12
Leger-Walker Charlisse Charlisse Leger-Walker Graduate Student G UCLA Big Ten
Markowski Alexis Alexis Markowski Senior C/F Nebraska Big Ten
Marshall Rayah Rayah Marshall Senior C/F USC Big Ten
McMahon Cotie Cotie McMahon Junior F Ohio State Big Ten
Miles Olivia Olivia Miles Graduate Student G Notre Dame ACC
Morrow Aneesah Aneesah Morrow Senior F LSU SEC
Nichols S’Mya S’Mya Nichols Sophomore G Kansas Big 12
Olsen Lucy Lucy Olsen Senior G Iowa Big Ten
Paopao Te-Hina Te-Hina Paopao Senior G South Carolina SEC
Phelia Laila Laila Phelia Senior G Texas SEC
Quinerly JJ JJ Quinerly Senior G West Virginia Big 12
Rice Kiki Kiki Rice Junior G UCLA Big Ten
Richardson Reigan Reigan Richardson Senior G Duke ACC
Rivers Saniya Saniya Rivers Senior G NC State ACC
Ryan Emily Emily Ryan Senior G Iowa State Big 12
Scott Madison Madison Scott Graduate Student PG/F Ole Miss SEC
Sellers Shyanne Shyanne Sellers Senior G Maryland Big Ten
Stuelke Hannah Hannah Stuelke Junior F Iowa Big Ten
Sundell Serena Serena Sundell Senior G Kansas State Big 12
Timpson Makayla Makayla Timpson Senior F Florida State ACC
Ustby Alyssa Alyssa Ustby Graduate Student G/F North Carolina ACC
Van Lith Hailey Hailey Van Lith Graduate Student G TCU Big 12
Vann Skylar Skylar Vann Senior F Oklahoma SEC
von Oelhoffen Talia Talia von Oelhoffen Graduate Student G USC Big Ten
Watkins JuJu JuJu Watkins Sophomore G USC Big Ten
Williams Mikaylah Mikaylah Williams Sophomore G LSU SEC

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