The South Carolina Gamecocks are 21–2 on the season and back atop the SEC, right where they’re used to being. Despite injuries and depth issues, Joyce Edwards has been Dawn Staley’s steady answer, and her performances have now drawn major praise from a women’s basketball icon.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopes recently joined Jordan Robinson on The Women’s Hoops Show, where she spoke glowingly about how impressed she has been with Joyce Edwards this season.

“I just love her game,” said Sheryl Swoopes. “She’s not A’ja Wilson—I’m not saying that—but there’s something about her game that I really enjoy watching, the same way I enjoyed watching A’ja. You know what I mean? And to me, here’s the scary thing: I don’t think Joyce Edwards has played up to her full ability yet. I look at her like a silent assassin at times. You look up and she has 25 or 28 points, and I’m like, ‘When did she get the other 20? I just saw eight of them.’”

A’ja Wilson played a major role in putting South Carolina on the map alongside Dawn Staley, delivering the program’s first national title in 2017. That success has since turned the Gamecocks into a destination for top recruits, including Joyce Edwards. “The reason why we’re here is because of her,” Edwards told ESPN after the final four win against Texas last year. “It’s crazy for her to see her full circle how her legacy is inspiring other girls like me to come out here and play.”

She was the No. 2 prospect in the 2024 class and committed to Dawn Staley’s program exactly 10 years after A’ja Wilson did.

As Sheryl Swoopes pointed out, directly comparing the two would be unfair. But that said, Edwards has displayed some similarities to Wilson early on. Both began their careers coming off the bench, with Wilson averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds in 19.8 minutes as a freshman, while Edwards put up 12.7 points and five rebounds in 21.4 minutes.

And just like Wilson, Joyce Edwards saw her role expand in her sophomore season.

Joyce Edwards is getting closer to a big milestone with every game she plays. Point by point, she’s gradually inching toward 1,000 career points, something only a few South Carolina players have managed so early in their careers. Watching her now, it’s tough not to be reminded of A’ja Wilson and the standard she once set in Columbia. Here, Edwards isn’t trying to copy anyone, but she’s clearly carving out her own path, growing more confident and more impactful each season.

“I do see a little bit of myself in Joyce and that’s,” Wilson said in an interview last year. “That’s pretty good.”

The comparison to A’ja Wilson only tells part of the story. Joyce Edwards has been excellent in her own right this season. Performances like her 34-point outing against USF, a 29-point performance versus Florida Gulf Coast, and 26 against Coppin State are just a few examples of the kind of impact she’s made this season.

Edwards continued her strong form in South Carolina’s 81–51 win over Auburn, scoring a team-high 20 points on 64.3% shooting to go along with five rebounds. She leads the Gamecocks in scoring for the second consecutive season and has also emerged as the team’s steals leader this season.

The scary part in all of this? Joyce Edwards is still only a sophomore. As Sheryl Swoopes pointed out, there’s plenty of room for her game to grow, which says a lot considering how impactful she already is. If this is Edwards still scratching the surface, then the ceiling for South Carolina moving forward is incredibly high. That alone should give Gamecocks fans plenty to be excited about.

The objective for the rest of the season is crystal clear: redemption. After last year’s heartbreaking championship loss, the Gamecocks know the path forward starts with one thing–continuing to win.

What’s next for Joyce Edwards and co?

The South Carolina Gamecocks may not have the same level of depth they’ve enjoyed in recent seasons, but quality hasn’t been an issue. Ta’Niya Latson, Madina Okot, Tessa Johnson, and Raven Johnson have all made significant contributions, and under Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks once again look like a Final Four contender. Still, the road ahead won’t be easy.

Over their next six games, the Gamecocks are set to face four ranked teams in Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, and Ole Miss, along with a dangerous Mississippi State side fresh off its first ranked road win since 2020. None of these matchups will be easy. South Carolina has already dropped ranked games to Texas and Oklahoma, and they’ll need to be at their absolute best to come through this brutal stretch unscathed.

As things stand, the UConn Huskies are once again the favorites to win the national championship and remain the only unbeaten team in the country. If Dawn Staley is to deliver a fourth title to South Carolina, she’ll need Joyce Edwards performing at her absolute best.

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Do you see the Gamecocks getting their revenge and winning a fourth national championship this April? Let us know in the comments below.