The comparisons will be inevitable, and there is a connection.
Next up in a long line of potential local superstars representing South Carolina women’s basketball, from A’ja Wilson to Alaina Coates and down to the current team with Ashlyn Watkins and MiLaysia Fulwiley, five-star prospect Joyce Edwards joins the program from Camden, S.C.
Like everyone else on the list, she grew up a South Carolina fan. And like all before her, dreamed of playing in Dawn Staley’s program. Her backstory is a little bit deeper though, going all the way back to summer camps at Colonial Life Arena where she landed a unique job in the program.
“When I first moved here, I remember wiping the floors at the games,” Edwards said. “I was wiping the floors at the game being the little mop girl. It’s just crazy how you go from that to being recruited and committing. It’s just kind of full circle.”
A New Number
Number 12 in high school, but not at South Carolina.
Edwards arrived in Columbia with Fulwiley already occupying the uniform number she wore at Camden High School, forcing a change in the garnet and black. Edwards eventually settled on eight, and had a specific reason behind it beyond just needing something new.
“I’m wearing number eight this year, a number that’s never been worn at South Carolina,” Edwards said. “I hope to make that number an iconic number.”
Her list of high school accomplishments was long, from Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina to McDonald’s All-American to USA U18 AmeriCup player. But all of that is in the rearview mirror now as she joins a team where everyone was a high school superstar to some level or another, and the new number is part of a shifting mindset entering her freshman season.
“I feel like having a new number is a fresh start,” she explained. “All that high school stuff doesn’t matter. So I’m just looking forward to the transition to college.”
How She Describes Her Game
“I feel like I’m really mid-range dominant. I like to slash and get physical. Just get down and dirty, defense-led player."
Player She Models Her Game After
Who else would it be?
“Right now A’ja is dominating the league. I love watching her play. She's been through it. She's dominating the league right now. She knows what it is to get through everything that I want to get through. She's what I aspire to be."
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