South Carolina’s Staley says school is working to bring 3 former players home from Israel

As tensions escalate in the Middle East, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has publicly expressed concern for several former Gamecocks currently playing professionally in Israel, revealing efforts are underway to bring them home amid growing regional hostilities.

“Please pray for our @GamecockWBB @TiffMitch25 @2121Mikiah @dstnylttltn24 who are in a war zone in Israel,” Staley wrote on social media Saturday. “We are working a plan to get home. Let us pray for our loved ones to return home safely asap! Thank you in advance.”

The appeal comes as Israel, with U.S. support, launched retaliatory strikes against Iran on Saturday, further intensifying an already volatile situation in the region that began with Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023 and has since expanded to involve multiple regional powers.

Among the former South Carolina standouts currently in Israel are Tiffany Mitchell, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, and Destiny Littleton. Mitchell most recently played for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA last season, while Herbert Harrigan competed with the Phoenix Mercury. Both athletes, like many WNBA players, supplement their income by playing overseas during the American league’s offseason.

Littleton, another former Gamecock caught in the escalating conflict, shared her own message on social media: “It’s 12:48 am and I’m going to attempt to get some sleep. Prayers for safety for everyone impacted.”

The situation highlights a common but increasingly precarious practice among American women’s basketball players. Despite the WNBA’s growing popularity, many players still earn substantially more in foreign leagues. Israel has long been considered one of the safer and more lucrative international destinations for women’s basketball players, but the current geopolitical situation has drastically altered that calculus.

Several other WNBA-affiliated players are also currently competing in the Israeli league, including Victoria Vivians, Christyn Williams, Shyanne Sellers, Arella Guirantes, and Evina Westbrook. Their status has become a pressing concern for the basketball community as military actions intensify in the region.

The University of South Carolina women’s basketball program, under Staley’s leadership, has developed into one of the nation’s premier collegiate programs, winning national championships in 2017, 2022, and most recently in 2024. Many of their graduates have gone on to successful professional careers both domestically and internationally.

This situation echoes similar concerns that arose in February 2022 when WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia just as that country launched its invasion of Ukraine. Griner was eventually released in December 2022 after diplomatic negotiations, but her case highlighted the vulnerability of American athletes playing abroad during international conflicts.

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the players in Israel, but the organization has historically advocated for higher domestic salaries partly to reduce players’ dependence on overseas leagues where they may face safety concerns.

As the situation develops, basketball officials, university representatives, and likely U.S. diplomatic personnel are working to secure safe passage home for these athletes caught in an escalating geopolitical crisis.

The timing is particularly challenging as the Israeli women’s basketball league season had just begun, with many American players having arrived in recent weeks for the 2024-25 campaign. The Israeli Basketball Super League is typically active from October through May, overlapping with the WNBA offseason.

Diplomatic channels between the United States and Israel remain open, potentially facilitating evacuation efforts for American citizens in the region as military operations continue to unfold.