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South Carolina’s sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley is a “pro.”
That’s what South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley told Swish Appeal following the team’s 82-54 win over Vanderbilt on Sunday.
“I think we’re just giving her the tools to operate in that space. You have to be multi-faceted when it comes to playing at that elite level,” Staley asserted. Fulwiley, according to her head coach, has the “talent, speed, and athleticism” necessary, so the next stages of her career will be about how to “handle certain situations.” Staley further explained:
How do you handle starting or not starting? So it’s all those things that we’re adding to what she already has brought to us, because, ultimately, she wants to be a pro. And if she wants to be a pro, there are things that we have to add. We’re not trying to take anything away from her. We just want to add to what she already, what she already brought to us.
After being told Fulwiley is reminiscent of Staley herself, the South Carolina coach laughed and said, “She’s much quicker than me. And, actually, she’s got a little it more gall when it comes to taking shots. I’m a little shy when it comes to taking shots.”
Staley also had high praise for Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph, sharing:
She’s done great, we all know she can coach. She can coach the game, so then it’s about getting talent. [Mikayla] Blakes helps, [Khamil] Pierre helps. They are the cornerstone of [Vanderbilt’s] future, and I do think people are going to want to play with them.
From Staley’s vantage, Ralph and the Commodores are “right there” when it comes to the upcoming SEC and NCAA tournaments. “I know she’s not getting the results as far as the game, but I think that her body of work proves that she should be part of the 68.”
