Dawn Staley Reveals Message to MiLaysia Fulwiley Amid South Carolina Transfer
The women's college basketball community was thrown into collective shock when it was announced that former South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley was entering the NCAA transfer portal after the 2024-25 season ended.
This shock intensified tenfold when it later came out that Fulwiley was transferring to LSU, which is arguably South Carolina's biggest rival. Therefore, it was always going to be intriguing to see how legendary Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley had handled this transfer.
And during her May 22 appearance on The Breakfast Club, Staley got honest about the transfer conversation she had with Fulwiley, along with the parting message she sent her way.
"Surprising? No," Staley said when asked whether Fulwiley's transfer was surprising. "Being in this space, you come to expect the unexpected. I still have much love for MiLaysia, like much love. I want her happy. She came in, she said, 'I think I want to get into the transfer portal.' And I said, 'Okay. Well, you think, or you know?' And she said, 'I know.' And I said, 'Well, I only want you happy.'
"I really do only want our players happy. Whether that's with us or somewhere else. Just be happy. I told her don't look back," Staley continued. "I know it's probably going to be hard to not look back to see you leaving your hometown and all that. I said, 'Don't look back.' You're always going to be a Gamecock, you're always going to be welcomed here. I wish her the best... I do. Like, I really do."
Dawn Staley explains how MiLaysia Fulwiley entered the transfer portal.
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 22, 2025
“You’re always gonna be a Gamecock.”
pic.twitter.com/URH1GINHs5
It's fascinating to hear Staley opening up about her reaction to Fulwiley's transfer in this way.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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