With two main justifications, Alaina Coates rejoins the South Carolina Gamecocks as assistant coach and player development advisor.

Alaina Coates is coming home. The South Carolina legend and WNBA veteran is returning to Columbia, this time in a new role that bridges her personal journey with her professional aspirations. Coates has been named an assistant coach and player development advisor for the Gamecocks, and she didn’t hesitate to share the two main reasons why she’s back: her deep connection to the program that helped launch her basketball career and her unwavering commitment to empowering young women both on and off the court.

For Coates, the decision to return was driven by a desire to give back to the university that nurtured her growth, and by her passion for fostering the next generation of women’s basketball players. Her homecoming is more than just a professional move—it’s a heartfelt commitment to the program that gave her so much and a testament to her evolution as a leader in the sport.

Alaina Coates’s journey to this point has been a tapestry of achievements and challenges, with each thread reinforcing her resilience and her love for the game. Born in Irmo, South Carolina, Coates was a local basketball sensation long before she stepped onto the hardwood at Colonial Life Arena. As a McDonald’s All-American and one of the top-ranked recruits in the country, she arrived at South Carolina in 2013 with sky-high expectations. Over the next four years, Coates more than lived up to the hype, helping guide the Gamecocks to new heights under head coach Dawn Staley.

During her collegiate career, Coates was a four-time All-SEC selection and a dominant presence in the paint. Her ability to control the glass and finish around the rim was integral to the Gamecocks’ rise as a national power. In her senior season, Coates was poised to be a cornerstone of the team’s national championship run, but an ankle injury cut her campaign short just before the NCAA Tournament. Despite being sidelined during South Carolina’s first-ever national title run in 2017, Coates’s leadership and impact on the program were undeniable. She finished her college career as one of the program’s all-time greats, leaving a legacy built on toughness, consistency, and unselfishness.

After her collegiate career, Coates was selected second overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2017 WNBA Draft. She spent several seasons in the league, suiting up for the Sky, the Minnesota Lynx, the Atlanta Dream, and the Washington Mystics. Along the way, she also honed her skills in overseas leagues, experiencing the game from a global perspective. Those experiences—marked by both triumph and adversity—have broadened her understanding of what it takes to succeed in basketball’s highest levels. Now, she’s channeling those lessons back to South Carolina.

In announcing her return to the Gamecocks, Coates was candid about why she felt this was the perfect time to come back to Columbia. The first reason she cited was a sense of loyalty and gratitude to the program that shaped her not just as a player, but as a person. “South Carolina has always been home to me,” Coates said. “It’s where I learned how to be a competitor, how to handle adversity, and how to push beyond my limits. The coaches and teammates I had here pushed me to become the best version of myself. Coming back here isn’t just about coaching basketball—it’s about honoring everything this program gave me and making sure today’s players get the same kind of support and mentorship that I did.”

That connection to the program and to the broader South Carolina community is something Coates takes seriously. She knows that for many young women who come to play for the Gamecocks, the experience is transformative in ways that go beyond basketball. It’s about building confidence, learning to trust yourself, and finding your voice. As an assistant coach and player development advisor, Coates sees it as her responsibility to help guide that journey for today’s Gamecocks.

The second reason Coates cited was her determination to be a positive force in the lives of the players she’ll now be coaching. Over the years, she’s come to realize that player development isn’t just about skill work and game plans—it’s about helping young women navigate the pressures and opportunities that come with being elite athletes. “I’ve been in their shoes,” she said. “I know how hard it is to balance the expectations of being a student-athlete, to deal with injuries, to handle the spotlight. My goal is to be someone these players can lean on—someone who understands what they’re going through and can help them find their way.”

For Coates, that means being more than a coach. It means being a mentor, a sounding board, and a fierce advocate for her players’ growth as people. She’s committed to helping them build confidence in their abilities and in themselves. It’s a role that requires empathy, honesty, and a genuine investment in the well-being of the athletes she’ll be working with.

Coates’s arrival comes at a pivotal time for the Gamecocks. Under Dawn Staley, South Carolina has established itself as one of the premier programs in women’s college basketball, winning multiple national titles and consistently fielding championship-caliber teams. But sustaining that level of success requires constant evolution and fresh energy. By bringing Coates back into the fold, Staley is tapping into someone who knows the program’s culture inside and out and who can relate to today’s players in a way few others can.

Staley has long been a master of surrounding herself with people who understand her vision for the program—people who share her relentless commitment to excellence and her passion for empowering young women. In Coates, she has someone who checks both boxes. “Alaina has always had an incredible work ethic and a love for this program,” Staley said. “She knows what it takes to be successful here, and she has a unique ability to connect with our players because she’s walked the same path. I’m thrilled to have her back on our staff.”

For Coates, working alongside Staley again is a full-circle moment. Staley was more than just a coach to her during her playing days—she was a mentor and a role model. Watching how Staley built the South Carolina program from the ground up and created a culture of empowerment and accountability left a lasting impression on Coates. Now, she’s eager to continue that work in a new capacity.

While her coaching role is still in its early stages, Coates is already laying out her vision for how she wants to approach player development. She sees it as a holistic process that goes beyond X’s and O’s. It’s about understanding each player’s unique journey and tailoring her guidance to their needs. “Some players need help with confidence, others need help with technique, and some just need someone to talk to,” she said. “My goal is to be adaptable and to meet them where they are.”

Her experience as a professional player has given her a wealth of insight into what it takes to thrive at the next level. She’s excited to share that knowledge with today’s Gamecocks and to help them prepare for whatever path they choose after college. “Whether they want to play in the WNBA, overseas, or do something completely different, I want to help them develop the tools and mindset they need to succeed,” Coates said.

There’s also a sense of responsibility that comes with her new role—one that Coates embraces wholeheartedly. She knows that the young women she’s working with look up to her, just as she once looked up to the players who came before her. She wants to be the kind of mentor she would have wanted as a player: someone who listens, challenges, and believes in them even when they doubt themselves.

In many ways, Coates’s return to South Carolina is emblematic of the family atmosphere that Staley has built within the program. The Gamecocks pride themselves on a culture of trust and authenticity—values that have been central to their sustained success. Coates’s presence on the staff is a powerful reminder that the bonds forged within the program don’t end when you graduate or move on to the next stage of your career. They endure, and they shape everything that comes next.

For the players who will now be learning from Coates, her story is a source of inspiration. She’s someone who’s faced adversity and come out stronger on the other side. She knows what it means to play for South Carolina, to wear that jersey and to feel the weight of expectations that come with it. But she also knows the joy and the sense of purpose that come with being part of something bigger than yourself.

As Coates embarks on this new chapter, she does so with an unwavering belief in the power of basketball to change lives—something she’s seen firsthand in her own journey. She understands that not every player will go on to play professionally, but she believes every player has the potential to grow and to find their voice through the game. Her mission now is to help them do just that.

Looking ahead, the future is bright for Alaina Coates and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Her return is more than just a headline—it’s a testament to the enduring impact of a program that has become a family for so many. It’s also a reflection of Coates’s deep love for the game and her desire to be a source of strength and guidance for the players who will carry the torch forward.

For South Carolina fans, seeing Coates back on the sidelines will be a powerful reminder of the legacy she helped build as a player. But more importantly, it’s a sign that the program’s best days are still to come. With Alaina Coates back in Columbia—bringing her experience, her passion, and her unshakeable loyalty—the Gamecocks have a leader who embodies everything the program stands for. And in doing so, she’s making sure that the next generation of Gamecocks has every opportunity to chase their dreams, just as she did.