Dawn Staley’s advice for South Carolina’s next crop of McDonald’s All-Americans
Dawn Staley has a roster full of McDonald’s All-Americans and some advice for the next class of them ready to suit up for the South Carolina women’s basketball team.
Class of 2025 guard Ayla McDowell and wing Agot Makeer will be the latest future Gamecocks to play in the nation’s top high school all-star game. The game is set for Tuesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Gamecocks and Staley have gotten grief this season from Kentucky’s Kenny Brooks and LSU’s Kim Mulkey for having a roster loaded with McDonald’s All-Americans. South Carolina had 10 former McDonald’s All-Americans on its roster this season.
“I would imagine that no one’s turning down McDonald’s All-Americans,” Staley said earlier this year. “We’re just fortunate. And just so you know, just because you got a McDonald’s All-American doesn’t mean you got a great player.”
It will be Makeer and McDowell’s turn to continue the run on McDonald’s All-Americans shining for the Gamecocks. Makeer and McDowell along with the other McDonald’s All-American boys and girls players met with the media Monday.
Both talked about their excitement to play at South Carolina, which is making its fifth straight Final Four appearance and will face Texas on Friday in Tampa (7 p.m., ESPN).
“She has told me to come in ready and be prepared because we have four starters leaving and that opens up to make an impact right away,” Makeer said of Staley. “The way she coaches is amazing and she does such great things for women’s basketball. I’m excited to represent her and South Carolina.”
The Gamecocks will be losing three players to graduation after the season. USC guard Raven Johnson and forward Sakima Walker could also leave after the season but said they haven’t made their decisions yet. (Both have another year of eligibility.)
Staley wasn’t the only person Makeer received advice from as former Gamecock and current WNBA player Aliyah Boston talked to her during the recruiting process. The Canadian, who was the fourth ranked player in Class of 2025 according to ESPN’s HoopGurlz rankings, committed to the Gamecocks earlier this month.
“I talked to Aliyah Boston during my recruitment and she gave me a lot of advice because her recruitment was very similar,” Makeer said. “I really appreciated it. I just want to bring energy and scoring to the team when I get there.”
Makeer (6-foot-1) finished her high school career at Montverde Academy in Florida this year after moving from Canada. She has been injured and hasn’t played since January but will play in Tuesday’s game and then in Chipotle Nationals on Friday in Indianapolis.
In 13 games this season, Makeer averaged 10 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
McDowell, the Gamecocks’ first signee for the 2025 class and 22nd ranked player, also received some advice from Staley before she arrives in Columbia.
“She is big on the defensive side, so if you don’t play defense she isn’t going to give you the minutes,” McDowell said. “But she also has been telling me to be more selfish with the ball. I’m a very unselfish player and pass up some open shots to make a pass. I want to get my teammates open looks. But that is one thing she has told me, to be more selfish with the basketball. I know she will help me with that when I get to South Carolina.”
Playing under Staley will also help McDowell with her confidence.
“She is a player’s coach and knows how to help the players on and off the court,” McDowell said of Staley. “She instills a lot of confidence in her players and to be able to play for her is a huge honor. I know I am going to do great with her because she is going to do a lot to help me with my confidence.”
McDowell was a prolific high school scorer at Cypress Springs High School in Texas, finishing her career with 2,713 points. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 25.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 3.3 assists this season.
McDowell will get to play against some of the WNBA’s best before arriving on campus this summer. She was selected for the Brazilian National team that will play against the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever in the WNBA preseason. The Fever’s roster features Boston and Caitlyn Clark.
McDowell, whose mother was born and raised in Brazil, played with the Brazilian national team at the U18 FIBA Americas tournament last summer and averaged 14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
HOW TO WATCH MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN GAME
What: 2025 McDonald’s Boys and Girls All-American games
When: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. (Girls), 9 p.m. (Boys)
TV/Stream: Girls game will be on ESPN2 and boys on ESPN. Both games can be streamed on ESPN app or Watch ESPN.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
