Zaniya Johnson chooses South Carolina over LSU for 2027 basketball class
The five-star center chose the Gamecocks after LSU reached the final two. Carolina Bradley remains the Tigers’ only reported commitment in the 2027 class.
Zaniya Johnson, a five-star center from Biloxi, Mississippi, committed to South Carolina over LSU on Wednesday, October 21, The Daily Advertiser reported. Her decision leaves Carolina Bradley as the only reported commitment in LSU’s 2027 women’s basketball class, as coach Kim Mulkey works to build the Tigers’ next recruiting group.
South Carolina and LSU were the two finalists for Johnson, a 6-foot-4 prospect whom The Daily Advertiser ranked 18th in the 2027 class. LSU had recruited her for multiple years, according to the report. Bradley, a five-star center from Oak Grove, Louisiana, is ranked third overall in that class by the same outlet.
LSU’s 2027 recruiting picture
Johnson’s choice follows another recruiting contest between the programs. Five-star point guard Jezelle ‘GG’ Banks, ranked fourth overall, picked South Carolina over LSU and Texas a couple of weeks earlier, The Daily Advertiser reported. The outlet also reported that four-star guard Madeline Mignery, ranked 48th overall, committed to Florida last month.
Mulkey’s staff has continued to host prospects. Five-star wing Qandace Samuels made an official visit at the beginning of October, while five-star guard Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka visited in September alongside Banks, according to The Daily Advertiser. The outlet also identified Banks’ high school teammate Ashley MacCalla as another player LSU is pursuing. Those visits give LSU other recruiting avenues, while Bradley remains its lone reported pledge for 2027.
How the teams enter the 2026–27 season
The recruiting decisions come as both programs prepare for a season in which they begin among the highest-ranked teams. Tiger Rag reported that South Carolina is No. 1 and LSU No. 9 in the preseason Associated Press poll. For LSU, the ranking marks a sixth consecutive season with time in the top 10, tying the longest such run in program history.
Tiger Rag reported that LSU’s 11-player roster has five returners and six newcomers. Returning players include guard Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley, the 2026 Southeastern Conference Sixth Woman of the Year; arrivals include Iowa State transfer Jada Williams and Florida transfer Laila Reynolds. The Tigers are scheduled to play exhibitions on October 22 and 29 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center before opening the season at home against Southeastern Louisiana on November 2.
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Sources and context
- LSU women's basketball, Kim Mulkey miss on 5-star C Zaniya JohnsonThe Daily Advertiser (Cory Diaz; republished by Yahoo Sports)
- Kim Mulkey’s LSU Women’s Basketball Team Ranked No. 9 In Preseason AP PollTiger Rag News Services
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.