BASKETBALL IS BLACK: Dawn Staley Backs Angel as a Future WNBA MVP
Dawn Staley has never been one to offer praise lightly. When the Hall of Fame coach speaks with conviction about a player’s future, her words carry weight across the basketball world. Recently, Staley made her belief clear: Angel possesses everything necessary to rise to the top of the WNBA and contend for the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2026.
“Angel always shows up,” Staley said. “All it takes is the right stars, the right moments, and the right energy. She can bring all of that and more.”
That statement captures the essence of Angel’s impact on the game. Consistency, preparation, and presence have defined her career at every level. Whether in high-pressure matchups or moments when leadership is required, Angel has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to meet the moment rather than shrink from it.\
Staley’s confidence also speaks to a broader truth about basketball and its cultural foundation. The phrase “Basketball Is Black” is not merely symbolic; it reflects the deep roots, influence, and excellence that Black athletes and coaches have brought to the sport. Angel’s trajectory fits squarely within that tradition—one marked by resilience, competitive fire, and an understanding of the game that goes beyond statistics.
As the WNBA continues to grow in visibility and talent, the pathway to individual accolades becomes increasingly competitive. Yet Staley believes Angel’s blend of skill, mental toughness, and energy separates her from the field. Success, in Staley’s view, is not accidental; it is the result of preparation meeting opportunity.
If the right conditions align in 2026, Angel may not only fulfill Staley’s prediction but also solidify her place among the league’s elite. For now, one of basketball’s most respected voices has already delivered a clear message: Angel’s moment is not a question of if, but when.
Joyce Edwards’ takeover in fourth reflects this change for South Carolina
South Carolina women’s basketball found itself leading unranked Texas A&M by just four points with 7:26 left to play when Joyce Edwards checked back into the game.
The No. 3 Gamecocks had just 14 points in the paint at the time.
Edwards then scored eight straight points for South Carolina (22-2, 8-1 SEC) to force the Aggies (8-10, 1-8) to call timeout. After the break she showed no mercy, scoring six more to finish with 14 of the Gamecocks’ 16 fourth quarter points to secure a 71-56 win on Feb. 2 in College Station, Texas.
“She’s one that can play-make,” Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said of Edwards. “I just thought down the stretch we were a lot more focused on getting the ball where it needed to be.”
The sophomore forward who is averaging 20 points per game, finished with 28 to tie a career-high in SEC games. It was her eighth time scoring over 25 and fifth double-double this season.
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South Carolina was without starting guards Ta’Niya Latson and Agot Makeer, two prominent pieces of the offense.
Junior guard Tessa Johnson was a perfect 4-of-4 from the 3-point line to start, scoring 12 early points and three of which came by way of a crafty, unselfish play from Edwards.
She drove into the paint with 6:15 in the first and even though she could have likely scored over the defender, she made the extra pass to Johnson in her sweet spot in the corner for the 3-pointer.
Two minutes later, Edwards made a proper seal when boxing out her defender but the rebound went long. She sprinted to grab it and dove to save it before it went out of bounds. Then Raven Johnson found Tessa Johnson for another 3-pointer on the other end.
Tessa Johnson finished with 19 points. No other player finished with over seven. Madina Okot, the 6-foot-6 center, had six on a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor but wasn’t given many touches from her teammates which contributed to the lack of paint points.
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“I think for a lot of the game offensively we just didn’t do a good job of moving the ball in a way that really impacts the defense,” Staley said.
South Carolina kept forcing 3-pointers after early success, missing all eight attempts in the second half (13 total).
“In the first half our guards were hitting a lot of 3-pointers so my job was just to keep passing, letting them hit threes then this all opened up and it was my opportunity to start driving,” Edwards told ESPN after the game.
The officials called 12 fouls in the first half, then 32 by the six-minute mark in the fourth quarter. Edwards saw that the paint was underutilized by her team and that Texas A&M was playing fast which often means sloppy, so she wasted no time getting to the basket working against a tight whistle.
Edwards hit all four free throws, finishing 10-of-12 from the line. After starting 2025 only 60% from the line, she’s gone 20-of-23 the last three games. She added 11 rebounds and four assists.
“It was just the game coming to me,” Edwards said. “Just doing what the team needs me … I just go out there and play basketball.”
