USC Women's Basketball

Former Gamecock Ta’Niya Latson cut during WNBA rookie season

Ta'Niya Latson in a June 17 game with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Ta'Niya Latson in a June 17 game with the Los Angeles Sparks. Getty Images

Former South Carolina women’s basketball star Ta’Niya Latson is in search of a new home in the WNBA.

The Los Angeles Sparks waived Ta’Niya Latson on Monday, per the team’s official X/Twitter account. The move comes after the Sparks made some roster changes in the last 24 hours.

Los Angeles signed Alissa Pili to a player development contract and waived Laura Ziegler on Sunday night. Then the Sparks on Monday signed Kate Martin to a standard contract, after she’d previously been on a development contract.

Latson was drafted by the Sparks with the No. 20 overall pick in the second round of the 2026 WNBA Draft. In the weeks after the draft, the Sparks’ coaches and leadership praised Latson for her skillset while also emphasizing their excitement she was available in the second round.

Latson played in 10 games this season for the Sparks and averaged 1.8 points in five minutes of action during those contests. She last played for the Sparks on June 27 against the Indiana Fever. Latson’s best game came against the Minnesota Lynx on June 17 — she scored six points and tallied three rebounds and two assists off the bench.

Latson joins Sania Feagin as the second Gamecock to be waived by the Sparks this season. Feagin, however, signed with the Portland Fire shortly after she was cut.

Michael Sauls
The State
Michael Sauls is The State’s South Carolina women’s basketball reporter. He previously worked at The Virginian-Pilot covering Norfolk State and Hampton University sports. A Columbia native, he is an alum of the University of South Carolina.
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW