MINNEAPOLIS — LeLe Grissett’s name will not be called when No. 1 South Carolina introduces its starting lineup Friday. But for a few moments, as those five players run out on the floor, she’ll be the star of the show.
The fifth-year guard is the most veteran member of the Gamecocks’ roster. (After going down with a leg injury late in the season last year, as a senior, she decided to use her extra season of pandemic eligibility to come back for one last run.) Teammates say Grissett has embraced the leadership role that comes with that status. And while this manifests in all sorts of ways, on and off the floor, there’s one that’s particularly noticeable. Grissett is the one at the center of all the pre-game hoopla for South Carolina—standing alone at the end of the player tunnel with signature handshakes and dances for each starter.
“She always has energy no matter what,” says Gamecocks star Aliyah Boston. “And it's good to have all that energy before we start a game.”
