Who Drafted Raven Johnson? What the Indiana Fever Expect from the South Carolina Star

The Indiana Fever selected point guard Raven Johnson from the University of South Carolina with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft on April 13 in New York.

Johnson, a 5-foot-9 guard from Atlanta, joins the Fever after a distinguished five-year collegiate career with the South Carolina Gamecocks. During her tenure under coach Dawn Staley, Johnson established herself as a consistent winner, recording a career record of 145-9 in the games she played.

Her collegiate trajectory was marked by resilience, as she lost only nine games across four seasons following an ACL tear during her freshman year. Johnson leaves South Carolina as one of the most decorated players in the program’s history, having made five Final Four appearances and four national championship game appearances. Her trophy case includes two national championships, five SEC regular season championships, and three SEC Tournament titles.

Senior Season Performance and Growth

Johnson demonstrated significant offensive growth during her final year. While she averaged 4.9 points per game during the 2024-25 season, she increased that output to a career-high 9.9 points per game in her final season. She also recorded career-highs in assists, averaging 5.1 per game, and finished her senior year with 202 assists, the fourth-highest single-season total in program history.

Her shooting efficiency also peaked during her final campaign. Johnson shot 48.6% from the floor and 52.8% on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, she recorded a career-best 39.9% from the 3-point line, while shooting 82% from the free-throw line. In addition to her scoring and playmaking, she averaged 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

Defensive Accolades and Program Records

Beyond her offensive contributions, Johnson was recognized as a premier defender. She was named an All-American and received the 2026 SEC Defensive Player of the Year award.

Johnson’s career statistics place her among the elite in South Carolina history. She holds the program record for assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.86. She ranks second in games played with 153, third in total assists with 612, and eighth in steals with 232.

Her success at the collegiate level followed a highly touted high school career at Westlake High School in Atlanta. As the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2021 recruiting class, Johnson led her high school team to four state titles.

Team and Coaching Reactions

Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White emphasized Johnson’s winning pedigree and defensive readiness following the selection at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

she’s a winner. She’s won at every level, set the tone at every level. She’s immediately ready on the defensive end, which is something that we need, someone who can come in and make an impact on that end of the floor. She’s been a true point guard. … And she’s experienced in big game moments. Just really excited that she fell to us.

Stephanie White, Indiana Fever Coach

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley previously described having Johnson on her roster as a comfort, stating that the point guard gives us a really good chance of winning every time we step on the floor.

Teammates also highlighted Johnson’s leadership and composure. South Carolina senior Maryam Dauda told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the Final Four that Raven is the head of the snake, adding that when the team needs to lock in, Johnson ensures they do so and always calms us down.