Less than 24 hours after getting a public commitment from their second recruit, the Gamecocks picked up their third with forward Sania Feagin.
A day after third-ranked Saniya Rivers announced her commitment, sixth-ranked Feagin went public. She had been suspected of being one of Dawn Staley’s “birdies,” perhaps the one who identified herself as the “Big Birdie.” They join #26 Aubryanna Hall, who was the first birdie to announce when she revealed her decision Monday.
Feagin was Georgia’s Gatorade Player of the Year, a 6-4 forward with guard skills. She projects as a stretch four who could grow into more of a low-post threat, similar to A’ja Wilson, who happens to be Feagin’s favorite player.
Feagin may have the most potential of any player in her class. ESPN ranked her as the eight best prospect regardless of class (one spot behind Rivers), but noted that her upside is higher than the players above her. In a scouting report, Feagin was described as “ultra-athletic” and “explosively athletic,” capable of shooting the three or scoring off the dribble. She is able to lead the break after a rebound or blocked shot, and may be the prototype stretch four for Staley.
South Carolina’s 2021 signing class, with the third, sixth, and 26th-ranked players and one more yet to announce, probably won’t top the 2019 class. That class was regarded as possibly the best class in women’s basketball history, and that was before their dominant freshman season that ended with the consensus number one ranking. This class should rival the 2014 class for next best. That class had Wilson, Jatarie White, Kaydra Duckett, Bianca Cueavas-Moore, and Doniyah Cliney.
Feagin joins a short list of top ten players signed by Staley. Wilson was the top overall prospect in 2014. Kelsey Bone was the second-ranked recruit in 2009 (Bone played one season with the Gamecocks before an acrimonious transfer to Texas A&M). Aliyah Boston was third, the same as RIvers’ current ranking. Zia Cooke was ranked fourth in 2019. Destanni Henderson was ranked sixth in 2018, the same as Feagin. White was ranked seventh in 2014, and played two injury-plagued seasons before transferring to Texas. Laeticia Amihere was ranked tenth in 2018. And then there is the curious case of Kayla Brewer, who was ranked eighth in the 2011 class, but graduated high school a year early to enroll at South Carolina in 2010, but left the team after playing seven games, embarking on a nomadic and nondescript career that went through Texas and then a graduate transfer season at Tennessee Tech and totalled just 65 games and 155 points.
South Carolina also got a pair of top ten recruits as transfers. Kaela Davis was ranked second in 2013 and signed with Georgia Tech. Allisha Gray was ranked seventh the same year and signed with North Carolina. Both transferred after two seasons and started on the 2017 national championship team before declaring for the WNBA Draft.
