A women’s college basketball star has been arrested and charged over allegations that she initiated a kidnapping and assault.
Ashlyn Watkins plays for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, where she is an effective forward who averages nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks per game. But the start of her junior year has left her worrying about more than what’s on the court.
According to local news reports, the incident for which Watkins was arrested took place in the early morning on Saturday August 31, at the Columbia-based university’s housing center. The player reportedly attacked a victim through “forcefully grabbing her face” as well as “pushing” her and “pulling her arms.” Details of the incident come from a university police department warrant.
This document included allegations that the star player had carried the victim without consent and “forced her to walk” in a way that was “controlling her movement” and “preventing her from leaving” the situation. After an uncertain amount of time, the victim escaped and activated the building’s fire alarm. She was later treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
The university’s basketball program knows about the incident, as revealed by a spokesperson, who said that the school was still learning information about it. Watkins was given a personal-recognizance bond worth $30,000. Meanwhile, she is not permitted to have any contact with the victim or come within 1,000 feet of her work, school, place of worship, or home.
The basketball player was, however, given permission to travel out of South Carolina for athletic practices and games. Her court date is scheduled for October 25.
The incident is the first major news of college basketball players accused of being involved in criminal activity since multiple players on the University of Alabama men’s team were implicated in a deadly shooting. In March 2023, Darius Miles and Michael Davis were both indicted on capital murder charges related to the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Harris in January of the same year.
Miles was removed from both the basketball team and the university after allegations surfaced that he had given the handgun to Davis, which he used in the shooting. Testimony from a police investigator in February 2023 led to the implication of Miles providing the gun that shot Harris to death while she was sitting in a car.
The former player’s legal team said at the time that he was acting defensively after telling Davis the gun’s location, which led him to provide it to the shooter. In addition to Miles and Davis, police testified last year that two other Alabama Crimson Tide players were involved in the tragedy.
Miles reportedly texted then-freshman Brandon Miller to bring the gun to the scene, where fellow teammate Jaden Bradley was allegedly present as well. However, prosecutors said last spring that they had no evidence of intent to be involved in the murder, so he was never charged. The same goes for Bradley.
Attorneys said that Miller was unaware he was transporting the gun, which was allegedly in his car, and had no idea that it would be used in a crime. He is also said not to have had any exchange with Davis.
The issue coincided with the 2023 March Madness college basketball tournament and sparked backlash when Miller was permitted to play, since he was not charged with any crime.
