Chloe Kitts injury update: South Carolina star feels great as Gamecocks begin new season

The wait is nearly over for South Carolina fans. After losing an entire season to a torn ACL, forward Chloe Kitts is back on the court — and the fifth-year Gamecock says she feels great.

Kitts returned to practice Monday as South Carolina officially opened preparations for the 2026-27 season. Nearly one year after suffering the knee injury that abruptly ended her 2025-26 campaign, the 6-foot-2 forward was moving at full speed during the portion of practice available to the media.

There was no visible hesitation.

There was no knee brace, either.

And when Kitts was asked how she felt, her answer was simple.

“I feel great. Blessed to be back out here with my team.”

Chloe Kitts says her knee is ready

Kitts tore the ACL in her right knee during practice in October 2025 while going for a rebound. South Carolina subsequently announced that she would miss the entire 2025-26 season.

The injury came at a brutal moment.

Kitts had just completed the best season of her college career, averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a junior. She had also established herself as an important starter for coach Dawn Staley and earned SEC Tournament MVP honors.

Instead of chasing another championship that season, Kitts spent months working through rehabilitation.

Now she is back.

During Monday’s practice, Kitts participated in offensive and defensive drills at full speed and did not appear to be trailing her teammates physically.

She also explained why she wasn’t wearing a brace.

“It’s more of a comfort thing,” Kitts said, adding that her numbers have looked good and that wearing the brace is ultimately her choice.

The update is significant for a South Carolina team entering the season with championship ambitions and a frontcourt that suddenly has considerably more experience.

Why Kitts’ return matters to South Carolina

The Gamecocks managed to reach the national championship game without Kitts last season, but her return gives Staley another offensive weapon who can operate away from the paint.

That could be particularly important in the half court.

Kitts’ mid-range shooting was one of the more effective parts of her offensive game before the injury. In 2024-25, she shot 36.5% from mid-range, according to CBB Analytics, a figure that was above the Division I average cited in the original report.

That shooting ability gives South Carolina another way to attack defenses.

When a post player can step away from the basket and knock down a jumper, defenders have less freedom to collapse into the lane. That can create additional room for teammates attacking the rim and make high-low actions more difficult to defend.

For South Carolina, that spacing could be especially useful with Joyce Edwards returning.

Edwards led the Gamecocks with 19.2 points per game last season, but her mid-range efficiency was considerably lower than Kitts’ 2024-25 mark.

Kitts therefore isn’t simply returning as another scorer.

She potentially changes the geometry of the offense.

Dawn Staley praises Kitts’ work ethic

Staley has already seen what Kitts can provide when healthy, and the South Carolina coach made it clear that the forward’s return goes beyond statistics.

“It’s great,” Staley said. “You have experienced posts that understand what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Then came the simplest description of all.

“Everybody knows Chloe works her butt off.”

That work ethic has been central to Kitts’ recovery.

She announced earlier this year that she would remain at South Carolina rather than enter the 2026 WNBA Draft, giving herself another opportunity to compete for a national championship.

Now the goal is no longer theoretical.

She is back in the gym.

Kitts brings experience to a young frontcourt

Kitts will enter the season as one of the most experienced players in South Carolina’s frontcourt.

Ashlyn Watkins is also returning after missing the 2025-26 season, while Edwards enters her junior year. The Gamecocks also have younger players developing around them, including freshmen and players whose previous seasons were interrupted by limited playing time or injuries.

That makes Kitts’ presence especially valuable.

She has already played in Final Fours, national championship games and high-pressure SEC Tournament situations. She was part of the South Carolina team that lost to Iowa in the 2023 Final Four before helping the Gamecocks defeat the Hawkeyes in the 2024 national championship game.

Now she is trying to finish her college career with another title.

And she believes the younger players around her are ready to learn.

“They’re all sponges,” Kitts said. “They want to do good and be great.”

She also praised their communication and willingness to absorb information.

South Carolina’s championship chase begins now

The Gamecocks began practice Sept. 21 and will have an unusual early test when they face College of Charleston in an outdoor exhibition Sept. 27.

The regular season then begins Nov. 2 in Paris against Maryland.

For Kitts, though, the calendar is almost secondary.

The biggest milestone already arrived Monday: stepping back onto the court with her teammates after a year away.

South Carolina reached a third consecutive national championship game without her last season. With Kitts now healthy enough to practice without restriction, the Gamecocks have added back a player who can rebound, score from the mid-range and provide veteran leadership in the frontcourt.

There will still be questions to answer as the season progresses. An ACL recovery is a long process, and game conditions are different from controlled practice.

But Kitts’ first message was unmistakably positive.

“We’re trying to win,” she said. “Every day we come in here, we work as hard as we can and we all have one goal.”

For South Carolina, the Chloe Kitts injury update is no longer about waiting for her comeback — it is about seeing what the Gamecocks can do now that she is finally back.