Kim Mulkey's LSU commit ZaKiyah Johnson shares 2-word reaction to Dawn Staley's South Carolina commit Ayla McDowell's Grad Day photos

LSU signee ZaKiyah Johnson reacted to Ayla McDowell's graduation on Instagram. On Sunday, McDowell shared pictures from her graduation at Cy Springs in Cypress. She wore a teal blue graduation gown and graduation hat.

In another photo, she can be seen holding a small plushie and wearing a basketball jersey. In another, she wore a South Carolina varsity jacket with a McDonald's All-American batch.

"Last #seniorsunday 🩵," McDowell captioned the post.

ZaKiyah Johnson showed her support and camaraderie for Ayla McDowell under the post.

"big grad," ZaKiyah Johnson commented.

They both were named McDonald's All-Americans. At the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game, ZaKiyah represented the East team and recorded 11 points, four rebounds, and one assist. While on the West team, Ayla McDowell contributed efficiently, scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three-point range, and two assists in just over 15 minutes.

Both players contributed to their teams among top national recruits like Oklahoma commit Aaliyah Chavez, USC signee Jazzy Davidson, and UCLA signee Sienna Betts.

Coach Rogers talks about Ayla McDowell’s improvement

Ayla McDowell, ranked No. 25 nationally and No. 8 among small forwards according to On3's Top Recruits rankings, is headed to join the South Carolina Gamecocks.

McDowell had an excellent career at Cypress Springs. She led the Panthers to a 30–4 record and a perfect 14–0 run in District 16. In her senior year (2024–25), she averaged 24.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.

Internationally, McDowell represented Brazil at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup, averaging 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game over six games.

Her high school coach, Taneisha Rogers, played a key role in her development. She woke up at 5 a.m. to help Ayla practice.

"Everything that went wrong in practice was her fault, and I told her that," Rogers told GreenvilleNews.com about how she helped enhance McDowell's vocal leadership.

"That made her kind of take a more vocal approach to being a leader," Rogers added. "I think that along with her natural God-given talent it's gonna help her be ready for the next level. I think she'll be an immediate impact."

Talking about the skills of the 6-foot-2 small forward, Rogers said:

“She’s just an elite-level wing who can score at all three levels. It’s extremely hard to scout what she does.”

McDowell will join Agot Makeer on the 2025 roster of South Carolina.

About the author

Nishant is a Delhi-based journalist at Sportskeeda specializing in High School Sports. He graduated in Mathematical Sciences and is pursuing a Masters in Operational Research at Delhi University.

With his educational background and over four years of experience, Nishant likes to be precise with information. He is passionate about cricket, football, basketball, and chess, often writing about events and game analysis.

His favorite team is the Michigan Wolverines, and he thoroughly enjoyed their unbeaten season and championship win, especially when it culminated in Jim Harbaugh fulfilling his promise of getting a tattoo.

When he is not working or watching sports, Nishant likes to play football and write poetry. Wrapping everything in humor with relatable memes and defending his heart out on the football field is why he gets up every day.

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