While the Gamecocks football team worked to keep its season alive on Saturday, the women’s basketball program quietly secured a piece of its future.
Banks Makes It Official
Jezelle “GG” Banks announced her decision with a flourish, unzipping her jacket to show a South Carolina shirt underneath. “With that being said, I’ll be taking my talents to South Carolina!” she said. “Go Gamecocks!”
Banks ranks fourth nationally in her class and is the second-best point guard available. She joins fellow floor general Taylor Brown, the country’s No. 30 prospect, as the newest additions to coach Dawn Staley’s program.
More Targets in Play
The Gamecocks may not be finished. South Carolina is reportedly a serious contender for wing Jordyn Palmer, the No. 7 prospect, and post Zaniya Johnson, ranked No. 18.
Palmer is also weighing offers from Ohio State, UCLA and Penn State. Johnson has narrowed her choices to South Carolina and LSU and has said a decision is coming “soon.”
A Program Showing No Signs of Slowing
The momentum extends well beyond this class. South Carolina restocked its current roster with the nation’s second-ranked recruiting haul and is widely expected to open at No. 1 when the first Associated Press Top 25 poll comes out next week. The team is also aiming to extend its run of six consecutive Final Four appearances.
Only Geno Auriemma, with 14 straight, has reached more consecutive Final Fours than Staley, who sits alongside him among coaches with six or more in a row. Recruiting works the same way as the postseason: ease off for a moment and someone else moves ahead. Staley and her staff have no plans to coast.
Banks on Why South Carolina
Banks said the relationships sealed it. “From my first time meeting Dawn, to (assistant coach Jolette Law) and the staff making me feel right at home, I knew this was where I belonged,” she told ESPN. “They never just recruited me as a player, they recruited me as a person, and they were honest with me about what it would take to get where I want to go. I want to compete for national championships, and I want to be pushed every single day.”
Bottom Line
Adding two top-30 point guards in one class gives Staley long-term depth at the most important position on the floor. With Palmer and Johnson still undecided, this class could grow into one of the best in the country, and the Gamecocks’ pitch of honest development and title contention continues to resonate with the nation’s top players.
