5-star recruit MiLaysia Fulwiley is staying home, picks South Carolina
Dawn Staley and the South Carolina women’s basketball program just added another big piece to their 2023 recruiting class.
Five-star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who plays at Keenan High School minutes from USC’s campus, committed to the Gamecocks on Thursday afternoon in a ceremony at the school. Fulwiley picked USC over Ole Miss, Louisville and Florida.
In front of a packed auditorium, Fulwiley broke down in tears shortly after taking the microphone to announce her decision. She then grabbed a white South Carolina hat and placed it on her head as a loud roar of excitement went through the auditorium while several friends and family rushed near stage in jubilation.
“Today, everything hit me and I just couldn’t hold it in ...” Fulwiley said before announcing her decision. “It took me a long time to pick and make my decision. All the other colleges did a great job recruiting me and made it so hard for me to pick. But me being from South Carolina and staying here, I felt was the right choice. They got a great program, great academics and I think I will do great there.”
Fulwiley said she made up her mind sometime on Tuesday and let Staley know of her decision around 7 or 8 p.m. Wednesday night.
“I told her I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I’m ready to be a Gamecock,” Fulwiley said of her conversation with Staley. “We talked, we laughed and she let me know she’s got me and family.”
Fulwiley joins guard Tessa Johnson, forward Chloe Kitts and wing Sahnya Jah in the Gamecocks’ 2023 recruiting class. The other players signed their national letters of intent on Wednesday. Kitts will enroll in January and begin practicing with the team. Fulwiley and Kitts were at Louisville during the same time for their official visits.
The Gamecocks and Ole Miss recruited Fulwiley the longest, both offering her on the same day at a tournament while she was in the seventh grade. She took her USC official visit last month, the last of her four official visits.
Staley and her staff made Fulwiley a priority and have been to many of Fulwiley’s games over her career. They were there and witnessed Fulwiley when she went for 54 points in a win over Wilson at the 2020 MLK Bash at Eau Claire High School.
The Gamecocks are the defending national champions and have done a great job of keeping top in-state talent home under Staley. USC signed Cardinal Newman’s Ashlyn Watkins and East Clarendon’s Talaysia Cooper in the Class of 2022.
Fulwiley and Watkins were AAU teammates and have a good relationship.
“I think it is very important for me to stay in South Carolina,” Fulwiley said. “I have done so many great things here already. And for me to say here and keep doing those things but now on the next level, I think is great. But not only for me but young girls who have looked up to me and other people who have looked up to me.”
Fulwiley has been one of the most dynamic playmakers to come through the state in a long while and might go down as one of the best to ever play in the state. Keenan athletic director Sean Gilley called Fulwiley a “generational talent” during Thursday’s ceremony.
Keenan coaches raved about Fulwiley when it was their time to speak, reflecting on what she has meant to the program. Head coach Reggie McLain remembers hearing about Fulwiley scoring 51 points in a middle school game and having to go out and see her in action.
After she led Sanders Middle School to a championship in her seventh-grade year, McLain and his staff decided to bring Fulwiley up for Keenan’s playoff run a few weeks later. Fulwiley’s mother was worried about getting her daughter to practice from Sanders to Keenan each day, but the coaches made sure it happened.
Fulwiley averaged 11.6 points during the five playoff games that year, which was capped off by a 51-28 win over Mullins in the Class 2A championship game.
Fulwiley has helped the Raiders to five straight state championship appearances, winning four of them. Keenan will go for its fourth straight title this year, which would cement her legacy even further.
“Of course, I am going to be a little biased and I think she is one of the greatest, if not the best,” McLain said. “The reason I say that is that she has played for five state championships and got the possibility of playing for six. She has scored over 2,300 points and played in two pandemic seasons where she only played in 10 games. I think she ranks up there with the best.”
Fulwiley is ranked No. 13 nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz. Her highlight reels are regular viewing on social media sites including Overtime.
Fulwiley can play both the point guard and shooting guard spot and will likely have a chance to play both in college.
The 5-foot-7 guard averaged 29.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 4.6 steals this past season and went over 2,000 points for her career. Fulwiley spent the summer traveling the country playing for Team Curry AAU team and various national all-star games.
Now, she is hoping for a big senior season that ends with another championship.
“Going into my senior season, I am glad I committed to today so I wouldn’t be focused on that,” she said. “I’m just going to go out, playing and winning my fifth state championship. That is all I’m worried about.”
This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 2:28 PM.
