South Carolina Women’s Basketball Lands Three First-Round Picks in 2027 WNBA Mock Draft

South Carolina women’s basketball 2027 WNBA Draft prospects are already turning heads, with three Gamecocks projected to hear their names called in the first round next summer.

Dawn Staley’s South Carolina program enters the 2026-27 season with another deep and talented roster, but the attention surrounding the Gamecocks extends beyond the college season. Several of the program’s biggest stars are already appearing prominently in early projections for the 2027 WNBA Draft.

CBS Sports released its first 2027 mock draft this week, and three South Carolina players landed among the projected top 15 selections.

Read CBS Sports’ full 2027 WNBA mock draft

Ashlyn Watkins projected No. 7 to Los Angeles

Watkins is the highest-projected South Carolina player in the mock draft, landing at No. 7 overall with the Los Angeles Sparks.

The projection comes with an important layer of context. Watkins has not played since January 2025 after suffering a torn ACL, making her return to the court one of the major storylines surrounding the Gamecocks entering the new season.

Before the injury, however, Watkins had established herself as one of the most imposing defensive players in college basketball.

CBS Sports pointed to Los Angeles’ recent defensive struggles as a potential reason for the fit. The Sparks finished 13th, 10th and 10th in defensive rating over the previous three seasons, according to Maloney, while also ranking last in opponent field-goal percentage in the restricted area last season.

Watkins’ interior defense could address that weakness.

Her athleticism, physicality and ability to protect the paint made her a major part of South Carolina’s identity before the injury. A healthy return and strong 2026-27 campaign could put her firmly in the conversation for the WNBA’s first round.

The projection also creates an interesting South Carolina connection in Los Angeles. CBS has former Gamecock transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley, now at LSU, going to the Sparks at No. 6.

That would potentially give Los Angeles two players with South Carolina ties selected back-to-back.

Tessa Johnson projected No. 11 to Chicago Sky

Johnson comes in at No. 11 overall, with CBS Sports projecting her to the Chicago Sky.

For Johnson, the appeal is straightforward: shooting.

CBS Sports described Johnson as the best pure shooter in the 2027 draft class and highlighted her 47.2% shooting on catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts during her previous season at South Carolina.

That kind of perimeter accuracy could be valuable for a Chicago team that struggled from beyond the arc.

The projection would also reunite Johnson with former South Carolina teammate Kamilla Cardoso.

Cardoso and Johnson shared the court in Columbia before Cardoso moved on to the WNBA, where she became a key part of Chicago’s frontcourt. A Johnson-to-Chicago projection therefore carries an added layer of familiarity.

For the Sky, the potential fit revolves around spacing. Johnson’s ability to knock down open threes could create additional room for Chicago’s interior players while giving the offense another perimeter threat.

Chloe Kitts projected No. 13 to Dallas

Kitts is the third Gamecock projected in the first round, coming off the board at No. 13 to the Dallas Wings.

Her projection is built less around flash and more around reliability.

CBS Sports described Kitts as an extremely solid big coming off the best season of her South Carolina career. Her ability to provide dependable frontcourt minutes could become particularly useful for Dallas as the roster evolves.

The Wings own the No. 13 selection through the Las Vegas Aces as part of the NaLyssa Smith trade.

CBS Sports also noted Dallas’ need for additional frontcourt depth, particularly with questions surrounding Alanna Smith’s injury situation and Awak Kuier’s impending restricted free agency.

Kitts could offer a physical, dependable option in the paint while continuing to develop her offensive game.

Three Gamecocks in the projected first round

The three projections underscore the level of talent returning to Columbia for the 2026-27 campaign.

CBS Sports’ South Carolina selections:

• No. 7 — Ashlyn Watkins, Los Angeles Sparks
• No. 11 — Tessa Johnson, Chicago Sky
• No. 13 — Chloe Kitts, Dallas Wings

Former South Carolina standout MiLaysia Fulwiley, who transferred to LSU, is projected even higher at No. 6 to the Los Angeles Sparks.

That means four players with South Carolina ties appear among CBS Sports’ first 13 selections.

Of course, there is a long road between an October mock draft and draft night. College seasons can dramatically reshape a player’s stock, while injuries, team needs, roster moves and the eventual draft lottery can all change the landscape.

For now, though, the projections provide another indication of the talent Dawn Staley has assembled in Columbia.

With Watkins working toward a return, Johnson bringing elite perimeter shooting and Kitts coming off a career-best season, South Carolina enters 2026-27 with plenty of eyes already watching what its stars could do at the next level.

And if the CBS Sports projection holds, South Carolina women’s basketball 2027 WNBA Draft prospects could make the Gamecocks one of the biggest storylines of next summer’s draft.