After a long road back, Ashlyn Watkins’ return to South Carolina women’s basketball for the 2026-27 season could reshape the Gamecocks in ways that extend far beyond spectacular dunks.
For Watkins, the comeback is about rediscovering the feeling that made basketball special. Nearly a year and a half has passed since she last stepped onto the court wearing South Carolina colors in front of a roaring home crowd. Now, with another opportunity under legendary coach Dawn Staley, the senior forward is eager to reclaim her place.
“I miss basketball,” Watkins said in a video shared by South Carolina athletics. “I miss my team, the drive it gave me, and the feeling of playing in front of everyone. There’s nothing else like it.”
A journey filled with setbacks
Watkins appeared ready for a breakout junior season after establishing herself as one of the SEC’s most promising forwards. Following Kamilla Cardoso’s departure to the WNBA, South Carolina expected Watkins to take on an even larger role in the frontcourt.
Instead, her season quickly became one of the most difficult chapters of her career.
Before the 2024-25 campaign began, Watkins was suspended after being arrested on assault and kidnapping charges. Those charges were later dismissed, allowing her to return to the team early in the season.
Once back on the floor, she immediately reminded everyone why she was considered such a valuable piece of Dawn Staley’s roster. Her momentum, however, came to a heartbreaking halt in January 2025 when she suffered a torn ACL during a game against Mississippi State.
The injury ended her season and forced her to watch South Carolina’s national championship run from the sidelines.
Months later, Watkins announced she would step away from both school and basketball for an entire year, saying she wanted time to focus on personal growth before returning to the sport.
She officially rejoined the Gamecocks in June 2026.
Returning to a different roster
Although South Carolina’s culture remains consistent under Staley, the team Watkins rejoins looks much different than the one she left.
Only a handful of her former teammates remain, meaning she’ll have to build chemistry with a largely new group while adjusting after nearly two years away from competitive basketball.
That challenge also presents an opportunity.
Watkins brings experience, leadership, and an understanding of Staley’s demanding system that many younger players are still developing.
More than the player who dunks
Watkins became one of the most recognizable players in the country thanks to her in-game dunks, becoming the first player during the Dawn Staley era to accomplish the feat. Since then, several other Gamecocks have showcased similar athleticism.
But reducing Watkins to highlight reels overlooks what truly makes her valuable.
Her biggest strengths come from relentless defense, rebounding, hustle, and energy.
During the 2023-24 season she averaged:
- 9.2 points per game
- 7.4 rebounds per game
- 2.4 blocks per game
- 1.3 steals per game
Those numbers only tell part of the story.
South Carolina consistently played with greater defensive intensity whenever Watkins was on the floor. Opponents committed more turnovers, while the Gamecocks protected the basketball more effectively themselves.
Her ability to crash the offensive glass also created extra possessions, an area that often separates championship teams from everyone else.
Defensive presence remains her greatest strength
Watkins doesn’t need to score 20 points to influence a game.
She excels by protecting the rim, switching onto smaller players, contesting shots, chasing loose balls, and extending possessions through offensive rebounds.
Her efficiency around the basket has also been impressive throughout her college career, converting a high percentage of close-range opportunities rather than forcing difficult shots.
That combination makes her one of the most complete frontcourt defenders in the SEC when healthy.
A key piece of South Carolina’s frontcourt
The Gamecocks enter the season with several talented post players, but Watkins’ return comes at an ideal time following the departure of standout center Madina Okot to the WNBA.
If Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards occupy starting roles, Watkins could become one of the nation’s most impactful sixth players, anchoring the second unit with defensive intensity and veteran leadership.
Whether she starts or comes off the bench, Staley now has another proven option capable of changing the pace of a game with effort rather than scoring alone.
What Watkins’ comeback could mean
Recovering from a major knee injury and returning after an extended break is never guaranteed to produce immediate success. It may take time for Watkins to regain her rhythm and conditioning.
Still, if she returns close to the level she displayed before her ACL injury, South Carolina gains much more than another athletic forward.
The Gamecocks regain a relentless rebounder, an elite rim protector, a disruptive defender, and one of the program’s emotional leaders.
For a team with championship aspirations, those qualities may prove even more valuable than the highlight dunks that first made Ashlyn Watkins a national name.
Ashlyn Watkins’ return to South Carolina women’s basketball for the 2026-27 season could ultimately be remembered not for the spectacular plays, but for restoring the toughness and defensive identity that have defined Dawn Staley’s championship teams.
