Former South Carolina women’s basketball forward Laeticia Amihere is back with the Golden State Valkyries on June 8, making her the 10th former Dawn Staley player in the WNBA this season.
This is her second stint with the organization, which is in its first year. The Valkyries originally signed Amihere on a waiver claim on Feb. 6. She was part of the team’s training camp roster and played throughout preseason before being waived on May 14.
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She averaged 17.4 minutes, 12.5 points and shot 60% (9-of-15) in the team’s two preseason games.
Amihere was selected No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2023 WNBA Draft where she played two seasons. In 2024, she averaged 4.9 minutes and 1.1 points per game.
The Valkyries are 3-5 and fifth in the West Division.
They play the Los Angeles Sparks on June 9 (10 p.m. ET) in Crypto.com Arena which features two former South Carolina forwards. Sania Feagin played from 2021-25 and was selected in the second round of the draft by the Sparks but has only played two minutes this season.
Amihere will play against a former Gamecocks player in five of her next seven games. Golden State plays the Seattle Storm June 14 and June 29, featuring Amihere’s former guard and teammate Zia Cooke, then battles Ty Harris and the Dallas Wings on June 17. Harris played for Staley from 2016-20.
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On June 19, Amihere will face former teammate and close friend Aliyah Boston and the Indiana Fever, before playing former teammate Kamilla Cardoso and the Chicago Sky on June 27.
At South Carolina, Amihere won a national championship in 2022 and left with three SEC tournament titles, and three Final Four appearances. She became the youngest Dream player and first Canadian to play in the Olympics last summer with Team Canada.
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Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Former South Carolina forward Laeticia Amihere back with Valkyries, WNBA
