We talk about dynasties a lot in sports.  Dawn Staley has single-handedly turned the University of South Carolina into a top destination for women who want to play basketball. The state will honor her contributions with her own statue in downtown Columbia.

Columbia’s mayor Daniel Rickenmann stated,

Staley has been an ambassador for leveling the playing field for girls and women in sports, pushing for equal funding, attention and respect as men’s sports.

The reigning college coach of the year began her coaching career at Temple University while still playing for the Charlotte Sting in 2000.  She became the University of South Carolina’s head coach in 2008 when the team was struggling just to be competitive. Since 2012, USC has made the NCAA tournament every year, winning six SEC regular-season titles.

She knows how to recruit and develop top talent. Having already won two titles in five seasons, the Gamecocks look to become the first team to repeat since UConn in 2015-16, bringing back four starters from last season including reigning Naismith Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Aliyah Boston.  Before Boston, Staley won with reigning WNBA champion, reigning WNBA MVP, reigning Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year A’ja Wilson. More importantly she is creating a culture that makes all of her players feeling like they are working towards a common goal together.

Staley said,

 “I just think that what makes us pretty special is the close genuine bond that our team has. They’re so inclusive of each other. I think that’s the main thing that we should talk about because it’s what’s missing in sports. It’s that genuine, organic love for one another.”

Staley is the only Black coach, male or female, to win multiple Division One titles. Entering her 15th season as a head coach, she is now the face of women’s college basketball. In comparison, when she was being recruited to play in college, only one Black coach, Vivian Stringer, recruited her. The two-time player of the year ultimately chose Virginia. Before last season she signed a seven-year deal worth $22.4 million, the richest deal in college basketball for a Black head coach. Staley fought for her fair market value.  She was winning more than her male counterparts, but still being paid less than them.  She spoke about the bigger impact of signing the contract,

I didn’t do this for me. I am an advocate of equal pay and overall, this is a huge statement for women and for Black women — and not just in sports but all over the country — when you think about how much less they’re paid on the dollar compared to men.

Her willingness to speak out about a true disparity has led to other women getting paid their fair market value in college basketball. While no one can ever doubt Staley’s basketball abilities, it’s her leadership qualities that make her stand out. She has always gone out of her way to include others, especially those that look like her.

After winning the 2017 championship, she sent pieces of the championship net to other Black female college coaches, a tradition started by former Purdue coach Carolyn Peck the first Black woman to win a women’s basketball championship. The reasoning behind it she explained was because it, “gave me a constant reminder of what we were working toward, kept me focused.”  After winning the 2022 championship, she sent pieces of the championship net to Black journalists.

We need more people who are not afraid to speak up for what is right like Staley. People who not only give a voice to the voiceless but also do what they can to fix those inequities.  Staley has always taken action for the causes she believes in including getting her players paid. She was able to secure a team-wide NIL deal so that all of her players would be compensated for their work. She stated,

“Honestly, I make a lot of money. I want our players to make a lot of money. I want them to feel like I’m able to make the money that I make off of their backs and [I should] be able to help to create some wealth [for them] — no matter how big or small. I am an active participant in wanting them to benefit in this space.”

Known for her style on the sidelines, Staley always makes sure to make fashion statements. She’s been referred to as Louis Vuitton Dawn for her championship fit, but more importantly, she uses her platform as an additional way to be an advocate. That includes keeping attention on Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner and bringing her home from a Russian prison where she was serving a nine-year sentence. She was sure to tweet every day that Griner was wrongfully detained while also wearing a “PhreeBG” shirt on the sidelines of games. Staley coached Griner when she was on Team USA during the Tokyo Olympics guiding the team to its seventh consecutive gold medal. Staley was a player on three of those teams during that run and a member of the coaching staff before becoming Team USA’s head coach. For South Carolina’s game against Mississippi State, she had shirts made honoring the late Mike Leach.

Staley has won numerous accolades during both her playing and coaching career. She is the first person to win the Naismith Award as both a player and a coach. This year she was given the Billie Jean King Leadership Award at the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports.  The WNBA even created the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award to be given to a player who is an inspiration to their community and embodies Staley’s leadership, spirit, charitable efforts, and love for the game. The North Philly legend has never forgotten her roots and passes along her work ethic to her players.

She doesn’t just talk the talk either. Her actions have made the sports world a better place than before she joined it. Staley said it best in her 2018 Player’s Tribune article, “If I never won another championship but my legacy was that — to have changed the face of opportunity and united communities — I’d take that over most other things in this world.”

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