Earlier this week, South Carolina women's basketball team makes stunning announcement: French phenom Alicia Tournebise has signed a contract with the school and will join the team after the holidays. Tournebize, a 6-foot-7 center who played professionally in France for Bourge Basket, will be eligible to play immediately.
“Alicia has incredible skills and basketball IQ,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said in a press release. “She has great touch around the rim, can shoot all the way to the 3-point line and is a good shot blocker. We are thrilled that she and her family have decided to bring her game to Columbia, and FAMS will enjoy what she adds to our team on and off the court.”
Ahead of South Carolina's return to action on Dec. 28 against Providence, let's take a closer look at this unique midseason acquisition. Who is Turnabize and how can she help the Gamecocks' title hopes?
Basics
- Position: Center
- Height: 6ft-7
- Previous club: Cart Burj
- Country: France
- Age: 18
Tournebise has been a popular player among international players for several years now, but she really burst onto the scene this summer with her outstanding performance for France at the FIBA U18 Women's Basketball Tournament. She averaged 12.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on 54.9% shooting to help France win the bronze medal and make the All-Star Five.
During the bronze medal game against Belgium, she hit a huge two-handed kick that went viral.
Tournebize plays professionally for the Bourges Basket team, which competes in La Boulangère Wonderligue (the top professional women's basketball league in France) and the EuroLeague (a pan-European competition for the best team on the continent, similar to soccer's Champions League).
Due to her age and inexperience, Tournebise has not played much for Bourges this season in both the LBW and the EuroLeague. Her statistics in both competitions were almost identical: 7.6 minutes, 2.9 points, 1.7 rebounds in LBW and 7.3 minutes, 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in the Euroleague.
Why now?
Player Development
We do not have a specific response from Tournebise, who was not quoted in the South Carolina press release and gave only a brief quote in Bourges' press release that did not address her decision-making process.
“Burj has helped me grow both on and off the court. “I leave today with everything I have learned here and the desire to proudly represent the colors of my training club.” Tournebise saidas translated into English.
The club statement, again translated into English, noted that the move was made to “prioritize the player's development.” Here is Bourge's statement:
“This decision, which was carefully considered and reached through respectful dialogue, reflects the shared desire of both parties to prioritize the player’s development while maintaining the sporting integrity of the club, consistent with the mutual obligations set out in the settlement agreement.”
As mentioned earlier, Tournebise has played limited minutes for Bourges this season and it is difficult for the teenagers to earn more significant roles overseas. In South Carolina, Tournebise has the potential to become one of the Gamecocks' key players – if not this season, then certainly in the coming years.
Staley is also one of the best coaches in all of basketball and has a proven track record of turning big players into top picks in the WNBA draft. Tournebize will have the chance to follow in the footsteps of Aya Wilson, Aaliyah Boston and Camila Cardoso.
Family history
It's also worth noting that Tournebise's mother, French legend Isabelle Fijalkowski, came to the States and played college basketball for Colorado before moving on to the WNBA. Tournebise's mother could have told her about the benefits of playing basketball in college.
Potential salary?
As for the money, the South Carolina report said Tournebise had entered into an “internship contract.” It's unclear how much she earned for Bourge, but the nature of her “trainee” status suggests it was a bad deal. There are restrictions on the ability of international student-athletes to earn money through NIL deals and direct payments from schools, but it is now possible, although difficult, for them to get paid.
Depending on what South Carolina can pull off, it's entirely possible that Tournebise could earn more in Colombia than in France.
What will Tournebize bring to the Gamecocks?
Size
The size of the Tournebize is an obvious advantage. At 6-foot-7, she will immediately be the tallest player on the team and one of the tallest players in the country. Currently, only six Division I women's basketball players are 6 feet 7 inches or taller, according to CBB Analytics.
Sania Feagin graduated, and the Gamecocks are missing Ashlyn Watkins (away from basketball) and Chloe Keatts (torn ACL) this season, which has decimated their frontcourt depth. Madina Okoth and Joyce Edwards are the only players taller than 6-foot-1 to play significant minutes.
Due to injuries, the Gamecocks often only had eight players available, and just having one more player who can contribute would be a big boost. (South Carolina's 17.5 points per game ranks 198th in the country.) Having Tournebise help their frontcourt depth is even better for Staley.
Tournebise is thin and can have a hard time dealing with a lot of physical players in the paint at times. However, a full offseason with South Carolina will help change that.
Athleticism
The Tournebise moves very well for its size and can get up and down the floor. She is also agile and has good footwork and lateral mobility, which helps her in half-court situations on both sides of the ball. And of course, not many players dunk like she did for France this summer.
Availability of paint
Tournebise's size allows her to have a real presence in the paint on both sides of the ball. She was an effective goal scorer at the U18 EuroBasket this summer, finishing fourth in rebounds and fourth in blocked shots. Again, she needs to get stronger, but her size and length will help her make an immediate impact.
Mid-level game
Tournebise rarely goes beyond the arc, but she is comfortable at mid-range, where she has a smooth jump. For a team that makes 62.4% of its field goal attempts in the paint, it will be beneficial to have a big man who can cover all the space.
Tournebise is only 18 years old and will have to adapt to a new country, a new coaching staff, new teammates and a new league. She's not going to go out on the floor and start dominating right away, and she might not even play that much, especially at first.
However, Staley wouldn't have brought her in midseason if she didn't think she could help, and adding a talented player like Tournebise is a real boost for the Gamecocks. Other title contenders aren't making these kinds of additions heading into the new year. The 12-1 Gamecocks, who lost in the national championship last season, are ranked third in the country and are among the top contenders to dethrone UCLA.
How will this affect Tournebize's prospects in the WNBA Draft?
One of the most interesting aspects of this move is that it effectively delays Tournebise's eligibility for the WNBA Draft.
Under current rules, subject to change in the new collective bargaining agreement, international prospects must be 20 years old in the draft year and domestic prospects must be 22 years old in the draft year.
Once Tournebise starts playing in the NCAA, that will make her a domestic prospect.
If Tournebise had remained overseas, she would have been eligible to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. Now, unless some rule changes are made, she will have to wait until the 2029 WNBA Draft.
Has this ever happened before?
While Tournebise is the most prominent example, she is not the first international player to sign with a school mid-season.
Auburn added Chinese guard Yuting Deng in January just last season (Deng has since transferred and now plays for Baylor), and Egyptian center Yana El Alfi joined UCLA in January 2023, although she did not play for the team until the following season. Additionally, two Australian prospects, center Callie Hinder (Arizona) and forward Zoe Jackson (Indiana), will join their schools this January, although both plan to redshirt and will not play this season.
There are examples of this happening in men's college basketball. Israeli center Yonatan Levy committed to UW-Green Bay in January of last season (he has since transferred to Pepperdine), and Russian big man Kirill Elatontsev will play for Oklahoma starting in January.
