Dawn Staley speaks on MiLaysia Fulwiley transferring to LSU

The biggest transfer portal splash of the offseason was when South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley announced her commitment to SEC rival LSU on April 25. Fulwiley a South Carolina native, spent her first two seasons playing for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks, helping them win a title as a freshman and make the championship game as a sophomore — averaging 11.7 points both seasons.

Now, Fulwiley plays for Kim Mulkey and LSU and Staley was forced to reload in the portal. This week, to promote her new book, “Uncommon Favor”, Staley went on The Breakfast Club radio show and talked about several different inspirations and chapters. One was focused on Fulwiley’s time at South Carolina, which sparked a conversation about her departure.

“Surprising? No. I think, being in this space, you come to expect the unexpected. Right?” Staley said. “I still have much love for Malaysia. I just want her to be happy. She came in with her mom and said, “I think I’m going to get into the transfer portal.” And I was like, “Okay, well… you think or you know?” And she said, “I know.” I said, “Well, I only want you to be happy.” I really do. I only want our players to be happy, whether that’s with us or somewhere else. Just be happy.

And I told her, “Don’t look back.” I know it’s probably going to be hard not to, leaving your hometown and all that. But I said, “Don’t look back. You’re always going to be a Gamecock. You’re always going to be welcome here.” I wish her the best. And when I say that, people probably think, “Oh, sure,” but I do. I really do. Because I am who I am, what’s for us is for us, and what’s not is not. Let’s keep moving. I don’t stay in despair. I don’t stay in those spaces for very long.”

In @staley05's book 'Uncommon Favor', in the chapter titled “Respect the Power of Habit,” she speaks on this chapter which reflects on MiLaysia Fulwiley . pic.twitter.com/6XxdAONzSB

— The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) May 22, 2025

The challenges Staley had coaching Fulwiley were well documented, as Fulwiley’s eccentric style of play at times was not the most efficient style on a team loaded with talent. Still, Staley insists that she’s in a better place now than she was as a freshman.

“I thought Malaysia was getting better, I really did,” Staley said. “I saw a whole lot of growth on and off the court. Like, we were just getting the best version of her now. We went through the hard part — smoothing some rough edges, getting her to create good habits.

“I really think habits are the thing that allow you to elevate. So I think what we’ve given her — and what she’s given us — will allow her to have better, more consistent days than she had with us at her next stop.”

And her next stop is at LSU, which promises to be a top five team in the country entering the season yet again with a bevy of talent and a hall of fame head coach.

For Staley, the portal broughtin Ta’Niya Latson, the leading scorer in the nation last year, to replace Fulwiley, but she knows the potential her former player has.

“I’m like, okay, we’ve got to get back to recruiting. We’ve got to get back into the portal to see who we can get to help us,” Staley said. “I think she’s going to have a promising career. She’s a generational talent. That will never leave. She does things on the basketball court that I’ve never seen a woman do. She’ll continue to do that, and we’ll continue to be happy for her, except the one or two times we have to play them. Then it’s on. She’s going to be super competitive against us, and we’re going to want to win. It’s a pride thing that comes with being a competitor. But we’ve got much love for her and her family.”