In a story that has taken the internet by storm, Lady Gamecock basketball star Chloe Kitts has proven that kindness truly does come back around in the most unexpected ways.

While traveling from Columbia, South Carolina, to an away game, Kitts was preparing to settle in for a long flight in first class. As she boarded the plane, she noticed an elderly woman struggling to find her seat in economy. With a heart as big as her talent on the court, Kitts decided to make a selfless gesture: she immediately walked over and offered to switch seats with the woman.

“She looked so frail and had a lot of trouble with her bags,” Kitts explained. “I knew I could sit anywhere, and I didn’t want her to struggle. I just felt like it was the right thing to do.”

Kitts, who has become a role model not only for her impressive skills on the basketball court but also for her unwavering sense of generosity, switched to the woman’s seat in economy. Little did she know, this act of kindness would set off a chain of events that left everyone involved utterly amazed.

As the plane reached cruising altitude, the flight attendants approached Kitts with an unexpected offer. They informed her that the woman she had helped was none other than the grandmother of a prominent CEO in the tech industry, who had been on the lookout for someone to sponsor a new initiative aimed at supporting young female athletes. Kitts had no idea that her small gesture of kindness had unknowingly connected her with a major opportunity.

The CEO, who had been in contact with the woman during the flight, was so impressed with Kitts’ selflessness that they decided to personally offer her a scholarship and funding for a new women’s empowerment project in sports. The unexpected gesture wasn’t just a random act of kindness—it had opened doors to a potential partnership that could positively impact female athletes everywhere.

“We were already following Chloe’s career, but when we heard about her gesture, we knew we wanted to be involved with her work,” the CEO shared. “She’s not only an amazing athlete but someone who genuinely cares about people. This project is going to make a huge difference.”

For Kitts, the entire experience left her in awe. “I just didn’t expect anything like this to happen,” she said. “It’s proof that when you do something good from the heart, things have a way of coming full circle.”

This act of kindness is a reminder that you never know how your actions might affect someone’s life. Chloe Kitts’ generosity, which may have seemed like a small moment to her, has sparked a ripple effect that will continue to empower young women in sports for years to come.

As the story circulates, many are calling it a perfect example of how kindness and integrity can lead to unbelievable opportunities, both on and off the court.

Dawn Staley explains why Chloe Kitts, Joyce Edwards sat in 4th in South Carolina basketball’s loss

AUSTIN, Texas — South Carolina women’s basketball dropped a regular-season SEC game for the first time since Dec. 30, 2021.

The No. 2 Gamecocks (22-2, 10-1) picked up their first conference loss of the season after falling 66-62 to No. 6 Texas in the Moody Center in Austin.

For the entire fourth quarter, which began tied 49-49, forwards Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards didn’t see the floor. Coach Dawn Staley was asked about that specific decision, which put the final 10 minutes in Sania Feagin’s hands as a forward.

“Sania is the only one that can guard her,” Staley said of 6-foot-6 Texas forward Kyla Oldacre who had 13 points. “Like halfway, we give up too much when Chloe or Joyce are on her. We could have tried Adhel (Tac) but they’re just not experienced enough. She’s a very experienced post player. I thought she brought it all home for them.”

Texas coach Vic Schaefer stayed with Oldacre for the whole fourth quarter, which paid off as she had eight points in the final 10 minutes.

“They used Oldacre to finish us and she did a great job,” Staley said. “Crucial baskets.”

Without Kitts and Edwards in the lineup, South Carolina went small with four guards and Feagin. Senior guard Bree Hall was tasked with guarding star Madison Booker, who finished with 20 points.

The Longhorns (24-2, 10-1) used their height advantage and created baskets simply by passing over South Carolina defenders. With Hall glued to Booker, there wasn’t a lot of room to double-team when Texas forwards caught the ball in the paint.

“We needed (Hall) on Booker for as much as we could stay matched up on her,” Staley said. “So we thought we need to go to a small lineup . . . we weren’t getting anything from our bigs. We weren’t getting a whole lot of rebounding, a lot of scoring where we felt like we can get the advantage. They did a really good job at covering up, being disruptive and forcing us out of our spots.”

South Carolina’s guards finished with a combined 37 points; forwards Kitts, Edwards, Feagin, Tac and Maryam Dauda combined for 25. Edwards and Kitts each scored nine.

The Longhorns won the rebounding battle 42-35 and had 15 offensive rebounds to create 19 second-chance points.