How many South Carolina players are in the 2024 WNBA training camp? Exploring Dawn Staley’s team’s exceptional record

Reigning national champions the South Carolina Gamecocks have become one of the top feeder programs for the WNBA due to their success in women's collegiate basketball over the past seven years. Under coach Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks won titles in 2017, 2022 and 2024 and made two Final Four appearances during that span.

Thirteen former South Carolina players are taking part in the 2024 WNBA training camp, which kicks off on Sunday, April 28. Here's a list of the 13 former Gamecocks involved in the camp:

• Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream)
• Brea Beal (Las Vegas Aces)
• Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever)
• Kamilla Cardoso (Chicago Sky)
• Alaina Coates (Seattle Storm)
• Zia Cooke (Los Angeles Sparks)
• Kaela Davis (Seattle Storm)
• Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream)
• Tyasha Harris (Connecticut Sun)
• Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (Phoenix Mercury)
• Tiffany Micthell (Connecticut Sun)
• Victaria Saxton (Indiana Fever)
• A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)

The number of South Carolina alumni in the training camp is the second highest among collegiate basketball programs. Only UConn had the most active WNBA players in the camp, with 17.

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A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston & Allisha Gray lead the way for South Carolina's WNBA players in the 2024 training camp

A'ja Wilson helped pave the way for South Carolina players to be recognized in the WNBA.

A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston and Allisha Gray are established stars in the WNBA, with the 6-foot-4 Wilson emerging as one of the top players in the league. Last season, she averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game en route to winning the Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

Boston was an All-Star and Rookie of the Year in her first year as a WNBA player for the Indiana Fever. Boston started in all 40 games and tallied 14.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.3 spg and 1.3 bpg. On the other hand, Gray had a career season with the Atlanta Dream, as she averaged 17.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.1 apg and 1.1 spg in 38 games. She was also chosen for the All-Star lineup last season.

Kamilla Cardoso is fresh from leading South Carolina to its third national championship.

Another Gamecock knocking on stardom's door is third-overall pick Kamilla Cardoso. She will have her first taste of WNBA training camp on Sunday with the Chicago Sky. The 6-foot-7 Brazilian will bring her skills, flair and attitude as a center to help the Sky reach their peak.

Nine other ex-South Carolina cagers are hoping to crack the regular rotation of their respective teams to cement Staley's legacy as the best coach in women's collegiate basketball.

After training camp, the WNBA will kick off its preseason games on May 3, with the Indiana Fever facing the Dallas Wings. Eleven days later, on May 14, the regular season will open with a quadruple-header featuring the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics in the season opener at 7 p.m. ET.

Other games scheduled that day are the Indiana-Connecticut game at 8 p.m. ET, Phoenix-Las Vegas at 10 p.m. ET and Minnesota-Seattle at 10 p.m. ET.