From Globetrotters to the Gamecocks: New USC assistant’s journey

Jolette Law was stunned by the numerous cameras crowding around her. Perhaps that’s part of the dream.

A dream that’s come true.

“I’m pinching myself right now,” the new assistant coach for the South Carolina women’s basketball team said this week. “I can’t believe all this is happening to me right now.”

The Florence native and former star at Wilson High is back in her home state after 23 years of crisscrossing the country, playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and coaching at Ball State, Rutgers, Illinois and Tennessee.

Coming home was always a goal, so when she received a note from Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick that Dawn Staley had requested permission to speak to her, and then a call from Staley, she was nearly saying yes before the offer was out.

It didn’t take Staley long to offer, or long for Law to accept. And for a simpler reason than joining the future Olympic coach or reigning national champions.

“This is home,” she said.

Law was interested in a spot before, when Darius Taylor left and Fred Chmiel was hired. She mentioned to Staley that if anything ever came open again, she’d want to interview, but figured there would be no chance.

“I knew Lisa (Boyer) wasn’t going anywhere. I didn’t think Nikki (McCray-Penson) would leave,” Law said. “But I told her, ‘If the opportunity presents itself, call me.’ And she did.”

Law was given a crash course at USC, taking the job after her vacation ended, but needing to get to Columbia in time to travel with the team on its eight-day sojourn to Japan, which began Tuesday. She was already helping in camp and getting to know the players, several of which she recruited while at Tennessee.

“A lot of them I recruited,” Law said. “So I’m like, ‘Yeah, you turned me down, but I’m back. Just remember that.’ ”

Recruiting will be a major part of Law’s duties, something for which she’s well regarded. She helped land the No. 1 class in the country at Tennessee for next season and with Staley all over the Class of 2018’s Top 10 prospects, Law is trying to reel a few of them to the Gamecocks.

She’ll also be trying to coordinate ticket requests for the busloads of Pee Dee family and friends who used to travel to see her coach in Columbia. It won’t be easy.

“Everybody in Florence and Sumter and Lake City, everybody’s going to call me about, ‘Hey, I’m going to be a season ticket-holder!,’ ” she said before referencing USC’s stellar attendance numbers. “ ‘Then you need to get in line quick.’ ”

This story was originally published June 28, 2017 at 3:41 PM with the headline "From Globetrotters to the Gamecocks: New USC assistant’s journey."