Ta'Niya Latson has made her impact felt in her sole season with South Carolina women's basketball. After a tenure at Florida State that included three All-ACC First Team selections, the now-senior guard decided to join the Gamecocks, hoping to bolster her resume before going pro.
Latson averaged over 21 points and led the Seminoles in scoring for three consecutive seasons before transferring to South Carolina. During her time in Tallahassee, Florida, she led the team to the NCAA Tournament each season, advancing past the first round just once.
With her transfer to South Carolina this past offseason, Latson entered the program with a goal of becoming more of an all-around player. By playing within head coach Dawn Staley's higher-caliber culture in Columbia, Latson has become more lucrative as a prospect entering the WNBA draft.
"I know my goals this year were to be a better facilitator and a scorer, not just a scorer," Latson said. "Just being an all-around two-way guard."
This season, Latson is the Gamecocks' second-leading scorer, entering the NCAA Tournament averaging 14.3 points per game. She's averaged 28.2 minutes per game this season, the lowest mark of her career and the first time since her freshman season that she has averaged under 30 minutes per game.
"That's what's going to happen at the next level, I'm going to need to be able to play with other talented players," Latson said. "Not saying that Florida State didn't have talented players, they definitely did, but just playing with a complete starting five and being a complete player."
She received All-SEC Second Team honors following the conclusion of the regular season.
Strengths
At 5 feet 9 inches tall, Latson's quickness makes her a threat on the court. Entering March Madness, she's tied with 6-foot-3 sophomore forward Joyce Edwards for the most steals per game on the team at 1.7. Latson's knack for forcing turnovers has aided the Gamecocks' success on the fast break this season as well.
Prior to the team's SEC Tournament semifinal game against LSU, it ranked second in the nation at 20.5 fast break points per game. The program record was set at 18.0 fast break points per game in 2023-24, and the team's average last season was 17.1. South Carolina had out-scored its opponents on the break by 14.0 points per game.
Latson will assimilate well into the WNBA, as she can help set the pace in games with her ability to capitalize on turnovers. Additionally, Latson has posted the most efficient campaign of her career this season, shooting a career-high 49.3% from the field. While she likely won't enter the pros as an immediate starter, her wise shot selection that has developed throughout this season will earn her minutes wherever she winds up.
One of Latson's best traits is her ability to finish at the rim, especially through contact. That tendency to seek contact often lands her at the free-throw line, as she is one of only two Gamecocks to have attempted over 100 free throws this season, joining Edwards. Her 115 total free throw attempts are over 30 more than her next-closest teammate, all while having attempted just the fourth-most field goals on the team.
Weaknesses
While Latson's physicality at the rim is a strength, the chances that her skill translates immediately in the WNBA aren't great, given her smaller stature. In order to compensate, she will need to develop a consistent 3-point shot, which she doesn't currently have. She's shooting 31.9% from the 3-point line this season, the second-lowest mark among the Gamecocks' seven guards. Latson's career-best mark is 36.2% in her freshman year.
For comparison, South Carolina senior guard Raven Johnson has aided her draft stock by posting a career-best season from beyond the arc, jumping from 29.5% last season to 40.2% this season. Johnson stands at 5 feet 9 inches, but an ability to knock down 3-pointers will quickly translate in the WNBA, with the size of the competition increasing.
Over the course of the season, Latson has improved in her ability to play within structure and in aiding teammates' scoring efforts rather than focusing on her own. That said, it would not be surprising if Latson struggled as a scorer upon entering the pros. Much of her game is predicated on isolated possessions and driving to the rim, often dominating in 1-on-1 opportunities.
She has gotten better this season at her off-ball movement, but a team investing a potential first-round pick in Latson would be banking on continued improvement from a catch-and-shoot standpoint.
WNBA outlook and potential fits
Looking ahead to the WNBA draft on April 13, Latson seems to be a consensus first-round selection. Swish Nation has one of the league's new teams, the Portland Fire, drafting Latson seventh overall in its latest mock draft.
In USA Today's mock from Feb. 19, the Golden State Valkyries take Latson eighth overall. The Valkyries had a top-three defensive rating in the league last season, and it would be easy to see the team being a fan of Latson's calculated perimeter defense.
The Connecticut Sun land Latson at 12th overall in CBS Sports' mock draft from March 5. The article notes, "if she's still on the board at this point," implying high value in landing her in the draft's double-digit selections.
The Miami, Florida, native has expanded her skill set in her time with the Gamecocks, something many teams will look to build on if they opt to call her name on draft night. A highly talented player willing to forgo a larger role for the betterment of the team will bolster whichever franchise Latson lands with.