TAMPA, Fla. — Raven Johnson’s eyes grew extensive and her jaw dropped.
“She stated that? Is that actual?”
She known as her teammate Sania Feagin over and pointed to the tweet proven on a reporter’s telephone: “Take a look at this!”
Whereas Johnson was taking part in a team-high 27 minutes to steer her South Carolina Gamecocks to a Closing 4 victory over Texas, maybe the best WNBA participant of all-time was heaping reward on her. A senior guard for the reigning nationwide champs, Johnson tallied two factors, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a 74-57 win over Texas within the nationwide semifinals in Tampa’s Amalie Area on Friday evening in entrance of an introduced crowd of 19,731 followers.
Two of the folks within the constructing for South Carolina’s win — marking their third journey to the nationwide title sport in 4 years — have been WNBA legends Sue Hen and Diana Taurasi. The previous UConn teammates have been as soon as once more offering an alternate broadcast to the Closing 4 on ESPN+ the place they converse candidly in regards to the sport and its gamers, interview visitors, giggle, drink, make jokes and supply evaluation.
Within the third quarter, as South Carolina outscored Texas 20-9 to construct a cushty lead and draw back, Johnson out-jumped 6-foot-5 Longhorns’ heart Taylor Jones for a defensive rebound, catching Taurasi’s consideration.
“Raven Johnson can have a house within the WNBA,” stated Taurasi, a six-time Olympic gold medalist and the WNBA’s all-time scoring chief. “Everytime I watch her play, she performs so exhausting, competes so exhausting.”
A reporter listening to the alternate broadcast posted that quote on X the place it went a bit viral, garnering greater than 119,000 views. Johnson didn’t see it till somebody confirmed it to her within the locker room after the Gamecocks’ win.
Diana Taurasi: “Raven Johnson can have a house within the WNBA… Everytime I watch her play, she performs so exhausting, competes so exhausting.”
— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) April 5, 2025
She grew visibly emotional and was considerably speechless at first when requested for her response. She coated her mouth, sat down after which stood again up, confirmed the publish to Feagin, after which stated, “I obtained to ship this to my mother.”
Johnson then added: “She’s just like the Kobe Bryant of girls’s basketball. I’m going to be excited about this all day… It means quite a bit, truthfully. She’s a legend. This woman is aware of basketball… I don’t even know what to say. That’s loopy… From her? It’s nice. It is a GOAT.”
These compliments from an all-time WNBA nice meant all the things to Johnson, who has been scrutinized and criticized all through her profession, regardless of being a key ingredient to South Carolina’s successful recipe. Individuals have stated she doesn’t rating sufficient and isn’t all that good of a passer. They dismiss her influence as a result of her stats don’t pop off the web page.
However these folks — let’s name them Johnson’s haters and doubters — don’t know ball.
“It’s completely ridiculous that individuals don’t respect her the best way that she needs to be revered,” Johnson’s South Carolina teammate Bree Corridor instructed SB Nation. “And it’s solely being neglected by the folks that aren’t really watching. Should you’re really watching the sport, you may see what Raven Johnson does.”
After taking part in simply two video games as a freshman due to a season-ending knee harm, Johnson has been a constant drive for the Gamecocks and somebody who has had an influence in an entire lot of essential victories. Over the previous few seasons, South Carolina is 107-4 in video games that Johnson performs in — giving her a 96.3 successful proportion in faculty.
Johnson is arguably South Carolina’s smartest defender, its finest passer, and its most selfless participant. She was the No. 2 general recruit popping out of Atlanta, Georgia’s Westlake Excessive College in 2021. She might’ve gone virtually anyplace within the nation, and to many locations the place she would’ve had the liberty to hunt pictures and pad her stats.
As an alternative, she selected Staley, South Carolina and a system match. She needed to win.
Johnson was introduced right into a program that was on the time led by Aliyah Boston and “the Freshies.” As Johnson recovered from her knee harm and watched from the bench, that 2021-22 South Carolina crew received a nationwide championship behind a crew the place just one participant averaged greater than half-hour per sport and 11 totally different gamers noticed motion in at the least 27 video games. Boston was undoubtedly the perfect participant on the crew, however the squad was not star-driven. Staley went deep into her bench and everybody performed their half. It was in regards to the collective unit, the scheme, the crew’s ideas and identification. It’s a program the place everybody understands their function, and Johnson has thrived in hers.
“Actually, I was an individual that listened to naysayers and stuff like that,” Johnson stated on Thursday. “I’m studying how to not care and studying that I’m a winner, like (Staley) stated. I do no matter it takes to win.”
Contemplate that, whereas Johnson solely averages 4.9 factors, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 24.2 minutes per sport, she led the SEC in assist-turnover ratio this season with a +3.26 mark — a program-record for the three-time nationwide champs. She additionally posted a 1.6 % foul price within the SEC this season, which was fourth-best within the league. Put extra merely, Johnson takes care of the ball higher than anybody else in arguably the hardest girls’s basketball league within the nation, and is aware of find out how to defend successfully with out fouling.
“The best way she has developed has simply been unimaginable,” Corridor stated. “She’s the anchor of our protection.”
Johnson’s stellar protection was on full show in opposition to Texas. Late within the first quarter, with South Carolina trailing by 5 factors, Johnson tracked Longhorns’ guard Rori Harmon and stuffed her shot close to the rim, sending Harmon to the ground and giving possession and momentum to the Gamecocks. What adopted was an 11-7 run for South Carolina to shut the opening body.
“Don’t come on our island in the case of protection,” Johnson stated. “Once we’re in entrance of you, simply know you’re going to must make a tricky bucket, truthfully.”
Due to her freshman harm, Johnson might play yet another season of school basketball. She can be eligible for the WNBA Draft as a result of she turned 22 years previous earlier this yr.
If Taurasi’s evaluation is any indication, the SEC All-Defensive Crew choice can be drafted, both this yr or subsequent, and have an extended skilled profession.
“Everyone appears as much as her, she is the face of girls’s basketball,” Johnson stated of Taurasi. “She has performed all the things a bit of lady might dream of.”
Whereas detractors can have their debates about Johnson’s skills or prospects as an expert, one factor is for certain and inarguable: She is going to depart South Carolina as one of many biggest winners in program historical past. Final yr, she led the undefeated Gamecocks in minutes performed and assists, after which racked up 5 rebounds, 4 steals, three assists, three factors and two blocks of their nationwide title win over Iowa.
On Sunday in opposition to UConn, she’ll have an opportunity so as to add yet another essential tally to her giant pile of victories.
