Ex South Carolina Guard Burns Fan Over 'Sneak Diss' MiLaysia Fulwiley Comparison
The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team suffered its first defeat in 43 games on Sunday after being beaten on the road by the UCLA Bruins.
It was stunning to see Dawn Staley's team lose so handily, especially because their most recent loss before Sunday was against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
One of the most popular players on South Carolina's roster is MiLaysia Fulwiley, who is known for her flashy, aesthetically pleasing play style. However, Fulwiley only played three minutes in Sunday's game and scored 0 points.
This prompted much discussion among fans about Fulwiley's role on the team. And one fan took it a step further by throwing shade at former Gamecocks guard Zia Cooke.
"I like what Dawn Staley doing with Lay …..because I felt like she should’ve did this particular thing with a former Gamecock guard who isn’t as good as Lay but has a similar playing style…because I feel like she would be having a better pro career if she would’ve tamed her more," wrote X user @briee39892109.
I like what Dawn Staley doing with Lay …..because I felt like she should’ve did this particular thing with a former Gamecock guard who isn’t as good as Lay but has a similar playing style…because I feel like she would be having a better pro career if she would’ve tamed her more
— madam Maziel (@briee39892109) November 24, 2024
While Cooke — who now plays for the Los Angeles Sparks after spending four seasons at South Carolina and being the No. 10 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft — wasn't mentioned by name, she clearly recognized that she was the "former Gamecock guard" being referenced. And she didn't take kindly to the comment.
"This idiot really said I should have been “tamed”… how quick these fans FORGET lol. Can’t wait for these tables to turn man..," Cooke responded to the initial post on X.
This idiot really said I should have been “tamed”… how quick these fans FORGET lol. Can’t wait for these tables to turn man.. https://t.co/g0juCTAVPM
— Zia Cooke (@zia_cooke) November 25, 2024
She then added, "To sneak diss me like this is crazy 😂😂😂".
To sneak diss me like this is crazy 😂😂😂
— Zia Cooke (@zia_cooke) November 25, 2024
Clearly Cooke didn't appreciate this unflattering comparison between her and Fulwiley. And she isn't the only former South Carolina player to be active on social media after Sunday's loss.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.