South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has coached four-time WNBA Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson for four seasons, from 2014 to 2018. The coach-player partnership led the Gamecocks to their first of three women’s college basketball championships in 2017. Without Staley’s guidance and motivation, Wilson would never have achieved her objective of becoming one of the best centers in women’s basketball.
Five years later, Staley recruited 6’3″ Camden High School standout Joyce Edwards, and the second-best recruit in the Class of 2024 has delivered for the Gamecocks. She helped the team claim runner-up honors last season by playing solidly on the frontcourt, much like Wilson did during her years in Columbia.
Dawn Staley Admits to Implementing Similar Coaching Approaches to Joyce Edwards and a Young A’ja Wilson
Joyce Edwards led South Carolina in Sunday’s 121-49 win over Queens, scoring 25 points, collecting four rebounds, and adding three assists, two steals, and two blocks. This was Edwards’ third 20-point game of the season, showing that she is taking on more offensive responsibility, as Wilson did in her second year with the Gamecocks.
Building on the forward’s recent performances over the first six games of the season, it seems that Staley is giving Edwards a bigger role in South Carolina’s offensive schemes. It is similar to how she expanded A’ja Wilson’s responsibilities during her second year.
When asked about this, Staley admitted that the approach she is implementing with Edwards is almost as similar to how she handled Wilson during the center/forwards’ formative years.
“Probably A’ja’s blending days,” Staley said. “I coached Joyce from those days from those moments. Not necessarily in games, more in practice.”
The approach the South Carolina coach is talking about focuses on maintaining a level of play that one player can consistently achieve, rather than overexerting themselves. This also worked for another former South Carolina big and Indiana Fever center, Aliyah Boston.
Edwards was also asked by the coaching staff to first dissect the defensive strategies of opposing teams before scoring. She is also being advised to improve her defensive discipline and overall effort. Staley once noted that the forward constantly puts herself in a position where she can pick apart opponents and score on easy baskets.
“She puts herself in a position where she gets the ball to the paint and then she’s got two-move capability,” Staley pointed out.
Even Wilson applauded Edwards’ basketball IQ and admitted the sophomore’s patience was uncanny and out of this world.
“Just that patience and the IQ she plays with is crazy, it’s insane, I wish I had that patience as a freshman,” she said. “I do see a little bit of myself in Joyce and that is good considering my college career. She is going to be perfect.”
MORE: Dawn Staley Presses Ta’Niya Latson Not To Let ‘Psychological’ Hurdles Cloud Her WNBA-Level Strengths
Joyce Edwards, Ta’Niya Latson Lead South Carolina To Record-Setting Win Over Queens
Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson combined for 49 points to lead South Carolina in a 121-49 rout of Queens on Sunday at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
Edwards went 9-of-11 from the field and 7-of-9 at the line, pacing an offense that posted its highest score under Dawn Staley since 2008. Meanwhile, Florida State transfer Latson added 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-2 from deep, as South Carolina improved to 6-0.
Madina Okot (14 points), Tessa Johnson (13), Raven Johnson (12), and Adhel Tac (11) also finished with double-digit scoring nights for the Gamecocks, who dominated from the start, building a 58-19 lead in the first half. Okot and Tac hauled down 12 and 10 rebounds, respectively, for a double-double.
Maryam Dauda scored the record-breaking point with 34 seconds left, pushing South Carolina past its previous single-game scoring record of 119 points, set against College of Charleston in November 2020.
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