South Carolina Women’s Basketball 2027 Recruiting Predictions: Which Prospects Will Choose Dawn Staley?

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South Carolina women’s basketball 2027 recruiting predictions are beginning to take shape as Dawn Staley prepares to host five highly ranked prospects in Columbia this fall, with several potential future Gamecocks weighing visits, relationships and playing-time opportunities before the early signing period opens Nov. 11.

The Gamecocks are approaching the 2027 recruiting cycle from an unusual position. Staley could potentially return as much as 80% of her roster for the 2027-28 season, meaning there may not be room—or need—for another five-player class.

That makes every scholarship decision more important.

South Carolina has built its dynasty around elite talent, but Staley has never simply collected stars. Fit matters. Defense matters. And perhaps most importantly, players must be willing to embrace a system where the ball moves, responsibilities are shared and individual numbers can sometimes take a back seat to winning.

Here is how the five current recruiting targets stack up.

GG Banks: Prediction — No

Five-star guard GG Banks is one of the most intriguing players on South Carolina’s board, but the early signs point elsewhere.

Banks is ranked among the nation’s elite 2027 prospects and has scheduled official visits to South Carolina, LSU, Texas and Ohio State.

The 5-foot-9 guard plays with an attacking mentality. She sees passing windows other players might not even attempt, and she has openly acknowledged that she takes risks with the ball.

That creativity is a weapon—but it could also make South Carolina a complicated fit.

Staley’s offense has rarely revolved around one player dominating possessions. The Gamecocks prefer multiple threats moving in concert, with defense setting the tone and unselfishness driving the offense.

Banks is also working to improve her off-ball defense. That could become critical in Columbia, where young players are often asked to defend before they are given major offensive freedom.

Prediction: Banks chooses another contender.

South Carolina remains a serious option, but the fit does not appear quite as natural as it does for some of the other prospects.

Jordyn Palmer: Prediction — Yes

If there is one recruit who looks tailor-made for the next version of South Carolina basketball, it may be Jordyn Palmer.

The 6-foot-1 wing is a top-five-to-seven national prospect depending on the ranking service and has official visits involving South Carolina and Ohio State, with UCLA, Maryland and Penn State also in the picture.

Palmer brings size, rebounding, playmaking and perimeter shooting. More importantly, she has experience playing in a team-oriented environment.

That matters.

South Carolina is likely to lose major frontcourt production when players such as Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins move toward the WNBA. Palmer could help replace some of that physical presence without sacrificing spacing.

Her production at Westtown has also demonstrated that she can fill a stat sheet without turning every possession into a one-player show.

That philosophy meshes with Staley’s.

Palmer doesn’t need the entire offense built around her to make an impact. She can score inside, attack closeouts, rebound in traffic and stretch defenses beyond the arc.

Prediction: Palmer commits to South Carolina.

Among the five prospects, she may offer the cleanest combination of talent, versatility and system fit.

Taylor Brown: Prediction — Yes

Taylor Brown is the sleeper pick—and perhaps the prospect who makes the most sense for South Carolina’s immediate needs.

The four-star point guard is ranked around No. 30 nationally and has scheduled her South Carolina visit for Sept. 19. She has also visited Tennessee and Virginia Tech, with North Carolina scheduled for Oct. 3.

At 5-foot-6, Brown is not going to overwhelm opponents with size. She doesn’t need to.

Her game is built around pace, passing and attacking in transition. She can score from all three levels, but her defensive mentality could be the trait that catches Staley’s attention fastest.

Brown has described herself as a two-way player and has emphasized how defense gets her into the flow of games.

That sounds like a South Carolina player.

There is also a personal connection. Brown is from Philadelphia, the same city that produced Staley, one of the most influential basketball figures in the city’s history.

Brown is recovering from a knee injury suffered in February, adding another layer to her recruitment. But if she returns healthy, she could provide the type of backcourt toughness South Carolina will need.

Prediction: Brown chooses South Carolina.

The fit is too obvious to ignore.

Ashley MacCalla: Prediction — Probably No

Ashley MacCalla is the wild card.

The five-star guard is one of the highest-ranked players in the class, and South Carolina eventually offered her in late July. But other programs appear to have established stronger relationships earlier in the process.

MacCalla has been connected with LSU, Cal and Rutgers, among others, while Rutgers already has significant recruiting traction with her. Current recruiting information also lists Rutgers among the programs with an early prediction advantage.

There is a reason South Carolina should not be counted out.

MacCalla has said she isn’t particularly interested in chasing highlight-reel moments. She values the game beyond individual attention, which theoretically fits Staley’s culture.

But timing matters in recruiting.

South Carolina’s late offer puts the Gamecocks in catch-up mode, while other programs have had more time to build personal connections.

Prediction: MacCalla picks another school, with Rutgers a strong possibility.

Still, if Staley pulls off a surprise, MacCalla is the name to watch.

Zaniya Johnson: Prediction — No

Five-star center Zaniya Johnson presents an intriguing basketball fit.

At roughly 6-foot-5, she would give South Carolina a true interior presence and add a different dimension to the frontcourt. She is scheduled to visit Columbia on Oct. 2.

But the timing may not work in the Gamecocks’ favor.

Johnson is also considering Mississippi State, Florida State, LSU and Texas A&M. For a player from Biloxi, Mississippi, Mississippi State offers both geographic familiarity and the possibility of an immediate starring role.

South Carolina, meanwhile, could have Joyce Edwards entering her senior season alongside several experienced forwards.

That creates a difficult question: Would Johnson have the opportunity she wants immediately?

Prediction: Johnson stays elsewhere.

The early forecast

The five-player board currently looks like this:

• Jordyn Palmer — South Carolina
• Taylor Brown — South Carolina
• GG Banks — Another school
• Ashley MacCalla — Probably another school
• Zaniya Johnson — Another school

Two commitments from this group would still represent a major recruiting victory for Staley.

Palmer could provide frontcourt versatility and perimeter shooting, while Brown could become the next defensive-minded floor general in Columbia. And even if the other three ultimately choose different programs, South Carolina’s presence in their recruitments reinforces the program’s standing at the top of women’s college basketball.

Recruiting predictions are never commitments, of course. Official visits can change everything, relationships can accelerate quickly, and one conversation inside the Carolina Coliseum can alter an entire recruitment.

For now, though, the clearest South Carolina women’s basketball 2027 recruiting predictions point toward Palmer and Brown wearing the Gamecocks’ garnet and black.