Zia Cooke Credits Dawn Staley’s Defensive Discipline for Her WNBA Development
Signature: 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
Zia Cooke is still leaning on lessons from Columbia years into her professional career. Following Seattle’s win over Toronto, the former South Carolina star took a moment to credit Dawn Staley for shaping the defender she’s become at the WNBA level.
“That’s Dawn Staley, I’m not gonna lie. She didn’t play around when it came to defense,” Cooke said, pointing directly to her college coach as the source of her defensive mindset. She elaborated further, recalling how that emphasis started early in her Gamecock career: “She didn’t play around when it came to defense. In my freshman year, I remember she was on me about my defense.”
That early accountability appears to have stuck. In Seattle’s win over Toronto, Cooke posted 10 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals — a well-rounded stat line that reflects the two-way habits she’s carried from South Carolina into the pros. Despite standing at just 5-foot-9, Cooke made clear she wants that defensive identity to define her, saying she’s out to prove she’s “a small guard that can guard” — a mission statement that traces directly back to the standards Staley set for her as a freshman.
The moment adds to a growing list of former Gamecocks crediting Staley’s program for their professional development, reinforcing a reputation that’s followed South Carolina players well beyond their college careers: defense isn’t optional under Staley, and it shows up in how her former players talk about their own games years later.
About The Author
