Talaysia Cooper is a basketball star. It’s her mindset that also draws rave reviews
Talaysia Cooper was named South Carolina’s 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year, has scored 2,446 career points and averaged 23.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 8 assists, 4.6 blocks and 2.2 steals as a junior at East Clarendon High School in Turbeville.
The 6-foot swing player’s elite ball skills, quick tempo and long wingspan made her a star in Class A girls basketball and across the AAU circuit with Team Curry 17U based in Charlotte.
But Cooper’s AAU coach, Ashley Rivens, says one of the X-factors is how she hasn’t rested upon her impressive résumé.
“She doesn’t have the mindset of like, ‘Oh, I’m good,’ ” Rivens said. “She knows she has a lot more work to do, and she plays like that. She plays with a chip on her shoulder all the time.”
Dawn Staley picked up Cooper’s commitment to play college basketball at South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 23. Cooper, ranked No. 18 in the country by espnW, was the first public commitment to Staley’s 2022 class.
East Clarendon girls basketball coach Perry Stokes said the school’s small classification can make visibility a challenge, but he gave credit to Staley for making the 90-minute drive east to Turbeville to watch Cooper play years before she made her commitment. Stokes said Cooper helped herself garner national attention on Rivens’ club basketball team.
“AAU traveling has helped everybody see her play and prove she can play with very good players, not just Class A players that we have,” Stokes said. “There’s no doubt that she can step in and play on (the college) level.”
Women’s college basketball scout Dan Olson deemed Cooper a “coveted prospect” after seeing her play in the 2019 AAU Girls Basketball National Championship. Olson wrote Cooper was an “explosively athletic guard with a scorer’s mentality; rebounds and runs, pushes tempo” and is a “pesky defender, deflects and finishes plays from turnovers.”
Stokes, who has coached Cooper for one season at East Clarendon after leaving his 37-year position at Timmonsville High School in 2020, said she has the ability to play with anyone. As a USC alum, Stokes said he’s looking forward to seeing her play with South Carolina’s talented roster.
“She’s got the size to play multiple positions,” Stokes said. “She’s a point guard, but she if she has to play another position, she can do that as well. With her length, that gives her that added dimension. ... She can guard a point guard, she can guard a post player with her reach. She’s very versatile.”
Rivens has known Cooper for two years and said they’ve had many conversations about her college decision. She said Cooper’s choice to pick the Gamecocks came down to two factors: She wants to win, and she wants to be challenged every day.
“I know everyone sees that she’s very talented, but she does a whole lot more that people may not really see until they sit back and they’re like, ‘Wow, this kid had a triple-double,’ ” Rivens said. “And that’s consistent. I think that’s the biggest thing about her, and she’s gonna give you everything she’s got.”
