Dawn Staley can turn college hoops upside down by taking down Audi Crooks

Dawn Staley can turn college hoops upside down with Audi Crooks

The #1 South Carolina Gamecocks prepare for the UConn Huskies in the Final Four.But as head coach Dawn Staley prepares to return to the national championship game for a second straight year, she will likely make big moves on the recruiting trail as well.

Indeed, on Thursday, Iowa State star center Audi Crooks officially entered the transfer portal.The junior wrote in an Instagram post that he would be entering the portal.He will be a target for South Carolina, as well as other big schools like UConn, Texas and Vanderbilt, according to Michael White of All-Girls Sports Report:

Crooks, who hails from Algona, Iowa, finished last season averaging 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 64.9 percent shooting per game.He earned Associated Press and USBWA second-team All-American honors as a junior.She is second nationally in points per game this season behind Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes.

Crooks is a two-time All-American, who played the last three seasons for the Cyclones.She helped lead Iowa State to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as a Big 12 tournament title in 2023. The Cyclones entered the tournament this year as the No. 1 seed, but were upset by Syracuse in the first round.

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With South Carolina able to replace veterans Ravn Johnson and center-back Madina Okot, the Staley landing Crooks will put Gamecocks in a good position to be rivals next season.Staley managed to drop current Gamecock players like Okot guard Ta'Niya Latson and send Maryam Dauda from the station.It looks like Rogues will come at a high price wherever it ends.

"What does it cost us? That's the conversation," Staley said of the current transfer market on ESPN last week.

"Because even though you can promise a young person this or that, if your budget says otherwise, I don't like to promise something that's not available to us," Staley continued.

"So you have to take - I won't say I take with this question, but I quickly got on it. When the luck is over, you have to get the question so you don't waste time turning the wheels on someone you can't afford."

Players coming to the portal have until April 20, until the window closes.Staley was able to land current Gamecock players such as Okot, guard Ta'Niya Latson and forward Maryam Dauda from the portal.