Tampa, Florida – Raven Johnson’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped.
“Did she actually say that? Is it true?”
She calls over her teammate Sania Feagin and indicates the tweet displayed on the reporter’s device. “Check this out!”
Johnson, who played a team-high 27 minutes, led the South Carolina Gamecocks to their final four triumphs in Texas. The greatest player ever praised her. National Champion senior guard Johnson recorded two points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in a 74-57 win over Texas during the national semi-finals at Tampa’s Amalie Arena before a crowd of 19,731 on Friday night.
The two prominent individuals present to witness South Carolina’s victory were WNBA legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Former UConn teammates once again provided an alternative broadcast to ESPN+’s Final Four, where they openly discussed the game and its athletes, conducted interviews, shared laughs, enjoyed drinks, made jokes, and provided insights.
In the third quarter, South Carolina expanded their lead over Texas to a comfortable 20-9, with Johnson pushing back against 6-foot-5 Longhorns center Taylor Jones for a defensive rebound, catching Taurasi’s attention.
“The WNBA’s all-time leading scorer,” noted Taurasi, a six-time Olympic gold medalist and the league’s top scorer. “Every time I watch her play, she competes fiercely and plays with intensity.”
A journalist tuning into the alternative broadcast shared the quote on X, where it quickly gained traction, racking up over 119,000 views. Johnson only became aware of it when someone showed it to her in the locker room following the Gamecocks’ win.
Diana Taurasi: “Raven Johnson has a place in the WNBA… Every time I see her play, she plays so hard and competes so hard.”
– Mitchell Northam (@primetimemitch) April 5, 2025
She appeared noticeably emotional and somewhat at a loss for words when initially asked for her thoughts. She covered her mouth, took a seat, then stood up, displaying the post to Feagin before exclaiming, “I have to send this to my mom.”
Johnson said: “She’s like Kobe Bryant in women’s basketball. I’ve been thinking about this all day… it means so much. Honestly. She’s a legend. This woman understands the game.”
The recognition from the greatest player in WNBA history, despite being a crucial element in South Carolina’s successful formula, meant everything to Johnson, who has faced intense scrutiny and criticism throughout her journey. Many claim she hasn’t scored enough and isn’t that impactful for onlookers. They underestimate her influence as her statistics may not stand out.
But those naysayers – let’s refer to them as Johnson’s critics – simply don’t understand the game.
“It’s absolutely absurd that people don’t appreciate her the way she should be appreciated,” stated Johnson’s South Carolina teammate, Brie Hall, to SB Nation. “And that’s just something overlooked by those who don’t truly watch. If you’re paying attention, you can see what Raven Johnson brings to the team.”
After participating in just two games as a freshman due to a season-ending knee injury, Johnson became a consistent asset for the Gamecocks, contributing to many significant victories. Over recent seasons, South Carolina has a 107-4 record in the games Johnson plays, yielding a 96.3 win percentage in college.
Johnson is undoubtedly South Carolina’s most intelligent defender, the premier playmaker, and the most selfless player. She was the second-ranked recruit hailing from Atlanta’s Westlake High School in 2021. She could have chosen almost any program across the nation, enjoying opportunities to hunt for shots and inflate statistics.
Instead, she opted for Staley and South Carolina, which align perfectly with her style of play. She wanted to achieve victory.
Johnson joined a program once led by Aliya Boston and The Freshties. After recovering from her knee injury, and while observing from the bench, that 2021-22 South Carolina squad clinched the national title with a roster in which 11 different players logged at least 27 games, averaging over 30 minutes each. Although Boston was undeniably the standout player, the team wasn’t singularly star-driven. Staley utilized her bench extensively to ensure everyone contributed. It focused on teamwork, strategies, collective identity, and everyone understanding their roles, which helped Johnson succeed.
“Honestly, I was a person who denied something like that,” Johnson said Thursday. “Like (Staley) said, I’m learning to focus less on just winning. I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve victory.”
Johnson averages 4.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals, but she led the SEC in assisted turnover ratio this season, showcasing a program record of +3.26 among three National Champions. Moreover, she recorded a foul rate of 1.6% in the SEC this season, the fourth-best in the league. Simply put, Johnson showcases exceptional ball-handling skills in the nation’s toughest women’s basketball conference, defending effectively without fouling.
“Her evolution has been phenomenal,” Hall remarked. “She is the anchor of our defense.”
Johnson’s remarkable defense was on full display against Texas. Later in the first quarter, while South Carolina was trailing by five points, Johnson tracked down Longhorns guard Lori Harmon, blocking shots near the rim, sending Harmon to the floor, shifting the momentum in favor of the Gamecocks. This led to an 11-7 run to close out the opening frame.
“Regarding defense, don’t come onto our island,” Johnson stated. “When we’re right in front of you, understand that you have to make a challenging shot.”
Her freshman injury allowed Johnson to get an extra year of college basketball. She also turned 22 earlier this year, making her eligible for the WNBA Draft.
If Taurasi’s comments are any indication, then the all-SEC defensive team selection will either be drafted this year or the next, paving the way for a long professional career.
“Everyone respects her and she’s the symbol of women’s basketball,” Johnson stated regarding Taurasi. “She accomplished everything a young girl could dream of.”
Defenders can debate Johnson’s skill and professional potential, but one fact is undeniable: she exits South Carolina as one of the most successful athletes in the program’s history. Last year, she contributed to the undefeated Gamecocks’ minutes played, securing five rebounds, four steals, three assists, three points, and two blocks in the title victory against Iowa State.
When she competes against UConn on Sunday, she has the chance to add an even more significant victory to her impressive record.
