Call it what you want: dominance, magnetism, or just pure Dawn Staley magic. She’s always found a way to win in the transfer portal. Valerie Nainima, Kaela Davis, Allisha Gray, Kierra Fletcher, Te-Hina Paopao. One star after another, Staley has mastered the art of reloading. And just when it seemed impossible to raise the bar, she may have outdone herself, landing the NCAA’s leading scorer, Ta’Niya Latson.

On March 27, news broke that Florida State’s superstar had entered the transfer portal. And everyone knew why. Winning Freshman of the Year, leading the ACC as a sophomore, and then the nation in her junior year, yet playing in an empty arena and bowing out in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. It was bound to take a toll.

She wanted a bigger stage. A real shot at competing where the lights burn brightest. And where else would that be but South Carolina? But how would that transition play out so smoothly?  Well, Dawn Staley might have answered that already, and her answer was Raven Johnson.

“When you bring in an established player like a Ta’Niya, you need a connection, a source of chemistry, because everything is so new. To have Raven, and Raven helping her along the way. You have to work hard every single day. There’s no days off here for her, so Raven helps her just on a daily basis have her understand what the standard is,” Staley said.

Latson and South Carolina’s fifth-year point guard have history. The duo were dynamite back in high school in Atlanta and played AAU together. But college ball separated them until now. After three seasons at Florida State, Latson finally has her former floor general back by her side. “I got my point guard back,” Latson said earlier with a smile.

From the start, Johnson wasn’t quiet about wanting Latson in Columbia. When she entered the portal, Raven quickly made her stance clear: “I’d tell her let’s run it back.” And interestingly, Johnson didn’t announce she was using her extra year of eligibility until Latson made her transfer official. The culture and the standard, two pillars, Staley believes Raven can help instill in Latson.

But Raven thinks her new-old teammate already understands that. “So she knows what a winning culture feels like, she knows what a disciplined basketball team feels like. She knows all that stuff.” Now, for the two guards who once won three state championships together, that old chemistry is still there: the unspoken rhythm, the instinct to read each other’s moves, to know exactly what kind of pass the other wants and when.

Staley added, “For Taniya, she probably has to practice as hard as we have to practice.” She understands the heavy load Latson carried at Florida State, but emphasized that not much will change. “It’s just certain things that we need her to do. Let’s play both sides of the basketball, and then just acclimate.” And yet, Staley wants Latson to stay true to herself.

Latson told Gamecock Central earlier that Staley has been pushing her to grow beyond her scoring dominance, “seeing things that I normally didn’t see at Florida State.” She’ll have help in that journey. SC’s leading scorer, Joyce Edwards, who Staley said was able to play as herself through the 2024–25 season, was in her position a year back and has flourished.

Now, with Latson confirmed as Staley’s star starter, it’s time to see how far she can go. This time, surrounded by talent, culture, and championship expectations.

Dawn Staley rolls out new starting five

The Dawn Staley era at South Carolina just keeps evolving. This season, Ta’Niya Latson steps in as the newest Gamecock star, but her backcourt partner Raven Johnson will be missing two familiar faces – Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall – who started alongside her the past two years. 

Last season, Staley’s squad thrived on balance, believing that on any given night, anyone could be the star. That mindset took them all the way to the national championship game. Now, the expectations shift slightly. With Latson joining the mix, the spotlight naturally follows.

And with the season tip-off nearing, Staley has already confirmed her first starting lineup for the 2025–26 campaign. Senior point guard Raven Johnson, senior guard Ta’Niya Latson, junior guard Tessa Johnson, sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, and senior center Madina Okot will open the floor when the Gamecocks host Anderson on October 24 at Colonial Life Arena (7 p.m. ET).

While much of the buzz has surrounded Latson, Okot deserves her share of attention. The Mississippi State transfer is the tallest player Staley’s had since Kamilla Cardoso left after 2023–24, and she brings similar dominance. Okot averaged 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds last season, ranking fourth in the SEC, and her 64.9% shooting placed her fourth in the nation. Basically, she’s a menace on both ends. 

With this lineup, the Gamecocks’ revenge tour officially begins.