Florida State women’s basketball saw its program fall from among the top 25 programs nationally without former standout point guard Ta’Niya Latson leading the team as its point guard. Latson led FSU in scoring in each of her first three seasons in Tallahassee before opting to transfer to seemingly greener pastures with Dawn Staley at South Carolina.
However, it seems Latson needed Florida State as much as they needed her, as her production dropped off big time in her final season. Latson went from leading the nation in scoring at 25.2 points per game to averaging only 14.1 in 2025-26. She also averaged fewer rebounds, steals, and assists. Her three-point percentage went down, and her team failed to win the SEC Tournament and got blown out in the NCAA National title game.
Latson had only four points in 25 minutes to end her college career. The thought was that Latson would be a first-round pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft had she stayed at Florida State. The ability to score at will and show her full arsenal would have been on display. Her ability to be a leader would have been seen favorably.
However, that wasn’t the case among WNBA teams as she fell to the second round on Monday night:
TA’NIYA LATSON IS HEADED TO THE LA SPARKS 🚨! pic.twitter.com/CgDWQOPImR
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) April 14, 2026
Good luck to her, but I can't help but think she hurt her draft stock going to South Carolina.
from top 5 prospect to 2nd rounder. the dawn staley guard effect. pic.twitter.com/UX0cJO4qpC
— kimberly. (@problemsthots) April 14, 2026
She was the No. 20 overall pick, selected by the LA Sparks, with several players selected before her who would not have gone before her if she had stayed at Florida State. This isn't sour grapes, but just the facts, because transferring to a team like South Carolina limited her contributions.
Latson at No. 20 is a steal for the LA Sparks, and I'm sure she'll make the most of her opportunity if she's allowed to play to her strengths. However, this should be a prime example for players in the transfer portal era. It's cool to chase the bag, but you must pay attention to what's best for your game, because transferring somewhere else doesn't guarantee better success.