But she also boosts the defense, where it looks like the Gamecocks will be building an absolute wall around the bucket yet again.īlessed & excited for the journey ahead ‼️ She’ll give the Gamecocks an ability to play big, and the potential two-player game between Walker and Kamilla Cardoso could be so dangerous in the SEC. The 6-5 senior, who played for Rutgers before juco Northwest Florida State, averaged 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds a game. Walker was a bit of surprise addition for many. A Paopao-Raven Johnson-Bree Hall backcourt will be a fun one that can make a lot of noise in the SEC as incoming freshmen Milaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson - both top-25 recruits - will compete for backcourt minutes, too. She’s a strong guard with an ability to create and distribute, and she’ll stretch the floor with her 42 percent 3-point shooting. In Columbia, there’s going to be a ton of turnover, and though the players who have been waiting in the wings are more than ready for the spotlight, coach Dawn Staley was smart to add a veteran perimeter presence like Paopao to help ease this transition. These first four teams show that adding even a single great player to an already strong roster is all a team really needs to be a winner in the transfer portal wars. South CarolinaĪdded: Te-Hina Paopao (Oregon), Sakima Walker (Northwest Florida State College) With Taylor joining the likes of Jacy Sheldon (who opted to use her COVID-19 year), reigning Big Ten freshman of the year Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry, the Buckeyes might just be the early conference front-runners. The reigning ACC defensive player of the year gives the Buckeyes another weapon to bolster a defense that had its ups and downs last season but was often a force with which to be reckoned. What a perfect fit in Columbus for both Taylor and the Buckeyes. Betts gives coach Cori Close lineup options as the Bruins will be able to run really big with her, Lina Sontag (6-3) and Emily Bessoir (6-4) as well as 6-4 freshman Amanda Muse, or they can go smaller with Betts’ length occupying the middle solo. But then UCLA snagged 6-foot-7 Betts out of the portal, boosting an already tough interior presence, and the Bruins became a squad we’ve got to pencil in for the Final Four. It’s hard to say what exactly LSU will look like, but talent wins, and there isn’t another starting five in the country with the experienced talent of the Tigers.Įven before Betts committed, the Bruins were in great shape heading into the 2023-24 season with Charisma Osborne and Cam Brown opting to use their COVID-19 years to return to Westwood. Try to sell out on offense, and Johnson will destroy in transition. Pack it in the paint, and Van Lith will cook. Take away Reese, and Morrow will destroy you. Seeing how Morrow slots in beside Reese and what it means for the distribution of shot attempts for each will be interesting, but the flip side is that the Tigers have absolute backbreakers at every position who will be able to attack defenses in their own ways (while wreaking havoc on defense, too). She also brings a dose of experience and swagger that will fit in perfectly. The Tigers needed to add perimeter talent, and in Van Lith, they got a ballhandler, distributor, playmaker and scorer. Van Lith punches way over her weight on the court. To then add players of the caliber of Van Lith and Morrow? Just ridiculous. They already entered 2023-24 as a top-three team with Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson returning as well as securing the nation’s No. The Tigers brought in an absolute haul from the transfer portal. Winners LSUĪdded: Hailey Van Lith ( Louisville), Aneesah Morrow ( DePaul) Here’s a look at the clear winners and losers in the 2023 transfer portal.
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