Dawn Staley says South Carolina is working to bring players home from Israel

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said Saturday the university is working to bring three former women’s basketball players, including WNBA veteran Tiffany Mitchell, home from Israel as the United States’ missile strikes against Iran continue.

Staley shared a message on X revealing that Mitchell, who played for the Seattle Storm last season, along with former Phoenix Mercury player Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and former Team USA guard Destiny Littleton, were all stationed in Israel during the strikes.

“Please pray for @GamecockWBB @TiffMitch25 @2121Mikiah @dstnylttltn24 those in war zones in Israel,” his post read.

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“We are working on a plan to get home. Let’s pray for our loved ones to come home soon! Thank you in advance.”

Neither the WNBA nor the University of South Carolina immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Littleton, who played for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2019-2022, posted a series of video updates on social media saying he was “safe.”

South Carolina guard Destiny Littleton (11) plays during the women’s college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, on Jan. 9, 2022. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“I’m going to look at the shelter now,” he said in one video. “Unfortunately, but this is the situation right now.”

Mitchell retweeted Staley’s post on X with praying hands emojis, but did not comment further. Herbert Harrigan did the same.

Littleton currently plays for Hapoel Lev Jerusalem, a professional women’s basketball team in the Israel Women Basketball Premier League. According to the club’s Facebook page, he signed with the club in November. He previously played for Team USA basketball, winning a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA ​​3×3 U18 World Cup.

Tiffany Mitchell (25) of the Seattle Storm drives the ball down the court against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Mitchell signed with the Storm in July after starting the 2025 season with the Las Vegas Aces. She played several seasons overseas, including in the Russian Women’s Basketball Premier League. She last played with Hapoel Lev Jerusalem in the 2024-2025 season and won the Israel Women Basketball Premier League in 2019. It is not yet known if he was currently playing for the team. She announced on her Instagram in November that she had signed with the Beijing Great Wall of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association.

Herbert Harrigan was a first round draft pick in the WNBA, selected sixth overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft. He has many appearances throughout the league, last playing for the Mercury in 2024. He was later traded to the Dallas Wings before being waived last year. She currently plays in the Israel Women Basketball Premier League for Elitzur Ramla.

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Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (21) of the Phoenix Mercury watches against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on July 3, 2024. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The United States joined Israel in launching strikes against Iran on Saturday morning. In a video caption posted on Truth Social, Trump encouraged the people of Iran to take over their government once the United States and Israel have completed “major combat operations” in Iran.

Iran has launched retaliatory missiles targeting US targets in several countries. Jennifer Griffin of Fox News reported that about 40 missiles landed in Israel. In addition, Iran appeared to strike the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, but no casualties were reported. Iran has also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where the US has advanced fighter jet squadrons, Griffin said.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Xand register at the Fox News Sports Huddle.

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