Dawn Staley heads to her 17th season with South Carolina and the legendary coach has already proven why her team is a formidable force on the court by clinching two championships in the last three seasons. They finished the season undefeated last year and claimed the trophy by defeating Caitlin Clark’s Iowa in the final. However, to replicate such brilliance, Staley needs her influential players on the roster. One standout on that roster is Ashlyn Watkins, who made history during her freshman year by becoming the first player in Gamecock history to achieve a dunk.

Now 21, the forward may not have been a regular starter, but she certainly made her presence felt whenever she came off the bench for Dawn Staley’s squad last season. As the new season begins, however, it looks like Staley will have to navigate without Watkins’ contributions during what should have been her junior year. Why?

Uncertain Future: Legal trouble clouds Ashlyn Watkins’ junior season

Ashlyn Watkins’ participation in the upcoming season remains uncertain, leaving fans and teammates wondering when she might return to the court. The situation is not due to any sort of injury; rather, the talented 20-year-old forward has found herself tangled in legal issues that have led her to court.

The South Carolina forward was charged with first-degree as-ault and ki-napping in connection to an unidentified victim on Aug. 31, who she later confirmed to be her girlfriend. Authorities issued an arrest warrant against her, reportedly supported by evidence, as mentioned by The Greenville News.

The Greenville News obtained the arrest warrant in September. It stated that Watkins reportedly assaulted the victim by “forcefully grabbing her face, pulling her hair and pushing her” and that she controlled the victim’s movements, preventing her from leaving. The victim allegedly escaped and pulled a fire alarm and was later treated for some injuries.

After her arrest, Watkins secured release on a $30,000 personal recognizance bond, casting a shadow over her upcoming season.

Since the incident, Watkins has been suspended from the team and did not join her teammates on their visit to the White House in early September. Despite this suspension, reports state that she received permission to travel out of state for games and practices. However, sources indicate that any athlete who has been arrested typically remains suspended from college activities, raising questions about the future of her participation on the court.

After receiving a personal recognizance bond, Ashlyn Watkins prepared for her first court appearance, scheduled on October 25th. However, the court rescheduled the hearing after the initial plan fell through, and a new date remains unconfirmed. Since Watkins hired an attorney, she can skip the initial hearing, but the delayed proceedings postpone updates on her case, potentially affecting her role in South Carolina.

The team’s head coach, Staley, has also not given any recent update on Watkins’s situation. Her last comment on the matter came on September 24, when she expressed uncertainty about what the season might hold for Watkins. “Status is still the same, nothing’s moved yet and we’re not going to move until her situation settles down a little bit … It’s out of her control, out of our control,” the South Carolina head coach had stated.

This situation could create a significant challenge for Dawn Staley as she crafts her game plan for the season. With Ashlyn Watkins on her roster, Staley had a reliable player to count on, especially after the team faced departures like Kamilla Cardoso last year.

Ashlyn Watkin’s contributions to the South Carolina Gamecocks

Ashlyn Watkins had committed to the Staley’s team back in 2021 when she was still at high school playing for Cardinal Newman. Choosing Gamecocks over North Carolina, she had already proven her willingness to shine for the team. Well, she certainly displayed her worth in her fresher year itself. Despite getting minimal time on court, she averaged 4.9 points along with 3.1 rebounds and recorded 56.3% from the field.

While the 6’3″ forward didn’t start in any of her 32 games during her first season, Dawn Staley saw her potential and elevated her role the following year—just as South Carolina embarked on an undefeated championship run.

This time, the Columbia native earned 10 starts out of her 38 appearances, averaging 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while maintaining an impressive 55% shooting accuracy. She also made her mark defensively, racking up 91 blocks—the most on the team last season.

This season was set to be her junior year, with expectations for her to take over in the paint for last season’s top scorer, Kamilla Cardoso, who entered the WNBA. Yet, whether she’ll get to suit up in garnet and black remains uncertain.

With her next court date still unscheduled, Coach Staley may have to pivot and make adjustments to cover her absence as South Carolina opens its NCAA season against the Michigan Wolverines tonight.