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See the full story · 1 sourcesIf women's basketball fans weren't aware of Jezelle “GG” Banks before WNBA All-Star weekend , they likely are now.
The high school point guard, who is ranked fourth in ESPN's 2027 rankings, was part of the Shooting Stars contest on July 24 that featured four teams made up of current and former WNBA players along with Nike EYBL players like Banks.
She hit back-to-back deep 3-pointers in highlight-worthy fashion, making a name for herself on a team with WNBA legends.
But there's a long way between now and her potential WNBA career. There's a key stop along the way and South Carolina women's basketball could be the destination.
GG Banks was feelin' it from DEEP in her first round of the 2026 @Kia WNBA Shooting Stars 🎯 pic.twitter.com/1CODbDLNGX
— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 25, 2026 South Carolina, Dawn Staley recruiting GG Banks
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley saw Banks play in December at the She Got Game Classic in Washington, D.C., but first gave her an offer in July 2023.
Banks told On3 that she has four official visits set up to South Carolina, Texas, LSU and Ohio State but didn't give a specific date.
"I feel like South Carolina is definitely another fit for me. They play fast. (Staley)is an awesome coach, she has a great coaching staff and the same family environment. She’s close to her players. She’s very genuine and I’m excited for that visit as well," Banks told On3.
Banks is from Wilmington, Delaware, and started high school at Ursuline Academy but now plays for St. James Performance Academy. She was the 2024-25 Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 21.7 points and 4.8 assists as a sophomore.
As a junior, she averaged 14.3 points and 5.4 assists.
Where does GG Banks fit into South Carolina system?
Right now South Carolina's in a tricky spot without Maddy McDaniel , who announced she was stepping away from the team for mental health purposes. McDaniel was the presumed starting point with Raven Johnson now in the WNBA.
The new NCAA eligibility ruling makes it a little more difficult to forecast when certain teams will have open spots on the roster because it's still unconfirmed which format players are opting into what. McDaniel would have 2-3 years left max. Banks wouldn't be on the team until 2027-28 and there's no reason to believe as of now that McDaniel wouldn't return next year if not sooner, but point guard depth in the future is just as important.
Staley is losing starting guard Tessa Johnson after this season (WNBA) which shifts her current players up to contenders for a starting spot, and means future freshmen could play key backup roles. Since Staley isn't necessarily guard heavy at the moment, any future signee could end up playing big minutes in Year 1 like Agot Makeer did in 2025-26.
Hypothetically speaking, if McDaniel is the point for 2027-28, Banks could be the main backup for her and let Makeer or Jerzy Robinson, who are both candidates to play point this year, move back to a shooting guard role.
Staley's had success using both the transfer portal and high school recruiting, and signed the second-best class in 2026 but of her five freshmen, three are forwards. The art of signing a high school point guard isn't lost yet, and Banks has some height at 5-foot 10, making her more valuable since she is a bit of a combo player.
Who is Dawn Staley recruiting for 2027?
The Greenville News published a list of recruits linked to South Carolina in May, but Banks isn't the only one who announced plans for an official visit.
Jordyn Palmer told On3 she's visiting Columbia in September, as well as Ohio State.
“I just think they’re a great school," said Palmer of South Carolina to On3. "Watching them on TV, they seem like a good program, and I’m trying to go on campus to see if it feels right to me, obviously, meeting all the coaching staff and everything."
Palmer is a 6-1, five-star wing and the No. 7 ranked recruit. The five-star player is from Oxford, Pennsylvania, and plays for Westtown School. She is this year's Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 23.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 3.3 steals per game her junior season.
Staley saw Palmer at the Hoophall Classic Classic last January.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at [email protected] . Follow her on X @Lulukesin and Bluesky @bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dawn Staley is recruiting GG Banks. How 5-star point guard fits in South Carolina
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