In the high-pressure world of NCAA women’s basketball, a single moment can define a player’s career, for better or worse. For South Carolina’s Raven Johnson, one play in the 2023 Final Four did both. Johnson recently spoke candidly about how a viral clip of her on-court interaction with Iowa star Caitlin Clark affected her mental health and nearly made her quit the game she loves.
During the Final Four matchup between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Iowa Hawkeyes, Johnson dribbled to the three-point line early in the first quarter, finding herself completely open. Instead of taking the shot, she passed the ball after Clark waved her off – a move that immediately went viral.
At the time, Johnson was shooting just 24% from beyond the arc, and the gesture, though competitive in nature, became a lightning rod for online criticism.
“I was all over the internet,” Johnson shared on the I Am Next show. “That’s one reason I hate the internet now because of that situation. I got bashed, I got bullied, I got called all these things that I wasn’t, like a monkey and other horrible stuff. I just wanted to quit basketball at that time. I wanted to go into a little bubble of isolation and just be by myself.”
The backlash highlighted a harsh reality: social media can magnify mistakes and spread negativity faster than anyone can control. Despite not blaming Clark, who was simply being competitive, Johnson found herself facing waves of criticism that no young athlete should have to endure.
At just 20 years old, she had to confront the challenges of online abuse while continuing to pursue a high-level athletic career.
From backlash to bounce-back
Yet, Johnson‘s story did not end there. Leaning on her faith, supportive teammates, and her coaching staff, she used the incident as motivation rather than a deterrent. The very next year, the two teams met again, this time in the national championship.
In a strategic twist, South Carolina’s coach Dawn Staley assigned Johnson as the primary defender on Clark. The impact was immediate: Clark struggled, shooting just 5 of 20 from the field, scoring only 12 points, and committing four turnovers. Johnson had turned a moment of viral shame into a demonstration of skill, resilience, and leadership.
The redemption extended beyond statistics. Before the championship game, Clark herself praised Johnson‘s growth, calling her a true leader and acknowledging the improvement in her game. For Johnson, it was a full-circle moment – transforming public scrutiny into personal and athletic growth.
Now in her final year with South Carolina, Johnson has led the Gamecocks to another Elite Eight, showing that challenges, even the most public and painful ones, can be stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks.
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