Dawn Staley reveals her reaction to MiLaysia Fulwiley transferring to LSU

MiLaysia Fulwiley leaving Dawn Staley’s South Carolina for Kim Mulkey’s LSU has been one of the biggest stories of the offseason in women’s college basketball.

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has been making the media rounds recently to promote her new book, “Uncommon Favor.” Earlier this week, the three-time national-championship-winning coach appeared on the popular New York-based morning radio show “The Breakfast Club” to talk about her book and so much more.

Topics veered into Staley’s thoughts about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and even officiating in women’s basketball. At a certain point though, the conversation shifted to one of the biggest stories in college basketball this offseason: MiLaysia Fulwiley leaving Staley’s Gamecocks to join Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers.

When asked about Fulwiley’s decision to transfer by host Charlamagne tha God, Staley revealed that she wasn’t shocked.

“Surprising? No,” Staley said. “I think, being in this space, you become (sic) to expect the unexpected, right? I still have much love for MiLaysia. Like, much love. Like, I want her happy.”

Staley said that Fulwiley and her mother came in for a post-season meeting with the coach and the sophomore told her, “I think I want to get into the transfer portal.”

To which Staley responded, “You think, or you know?”

Staley then says she told Fulwiley that she just wants her to be happy.

“I told her, ‘Don’t look back. … You’re always going to be a Gamecock. You’re always going to be welcomed here,’” Staley said. “I wish her the best. And when I say that… I do. I really do.”

Staley continued: “I think she’s going to have a promising career. I do think she’s a generational talent. That will never leave. She does things on the basketball court that I’ve never seen a woman do. And she’ll continue to do that, and we’ll continue to be happy for her, except for the one or two times we have to play them.”

Over the last two years at South Carolina, the 5-foot-10 native of Columbia showed flashes of her awesome athleticism and incredible talents. With swagger, creativeness and head-turning abilities, it became clear that she had the potential to be one of the sport’s stars.

However, Fulwiley’s development seemed to stall under Staley this past season. She played just .5 minutes more per game, never started as a sophomore, and many of her stats — from her 3-point shooting percentage to her PER to her assist-turnover ratio — worsened from her freshman campaign. Still, there were times where Staley turned the keys of the team over to Fulwiley in crucial contests and the electric guard powered the Gamecocks to victories. Notably, she had 23 points and five rebounds in a four-point win over Maryland in the Sweet 16.

Following South Carolina’s loss to UConn in the national title game, the lack of growth in a role and playing time for Fulwiley led to speculation about whether she might enter the transfer portal. Sure enough, within a week of South Carolina landing a commitment from Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson, Fulwiley did.

“I though MiLaysia was getting better… LSU is going to get the best of her now. We went through the hard part of smoothing some rough edges and getting her to create good habits,” Staley said. “The playing time, the whatever, us maybe taking her out of the game when she felt like she wanted to keep playing through things — now, she probably questions that part of it, and I’m OK with that. A lot of players leave because of playing time. It’s not for all the other stuff — we treat them like royalty.”

Charlamagne then asked Staley if she would give Mulkey any tips on how to coach Fulwiley, to which the South Carolina coach responded with a laugh, “You on your own.”