South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley recently took to social media to express her heartfelt appreciation to Vanessa Bryant, widow of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, after receiving a special gift honoring the Mamba legacy.
Staley was gifted a pair of the Nike Kobe 4 Protro CHBL “Lightning” sneakers—an unreleased custom model that features a striking yellow and cream design, set to officially launch later this summer. The shoes were sent as a tribute to Staley’s continued impact on the game and her dedication to empowering women’s basketball.
Sharing the moment on Instagram, Staley posted a grateful message, writing:
“@vanessabryant I don’t mean to flood your timeline but truly grateful and thankful to receive part of @kobebryant legacy and your vision and love for him elevate that legacy! Don’t ever stop….mamba mentality!”
The legacy of Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in a 2020 helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others, continues to influence athletes across the world. Before his untimely death, Kobe had been developing the “Mamba” shoe brand, envisioned as a player-owned sneaker company that would empower athletes to control their own brand and image—a mission Vanessa has proudly carried forward.
Dawn Staley herself has a rich history with Nike. She made history in 1999 by becoming one of the first women’s college basketball players to receive her own signature shoe—the Nike Zoom S5. In 2024, she was chosen as one of four coaches to participate in Nike’s Athlete Think Tank 3.0, a program designed to shape the future of athlete-driven innovation.
Staley Pushes for ESPN to Invest More in Women’s Sports
In addition to her footwear shout-out, Staley used her platform to advocate for greater investment in women’s sports, specifically calling out ESPN for a more equitable financial commitment to women’s college basketball.
Speaking during a stop on her book tour in Columbia, the Gamecocks’ coach made her stance clear:
“We should get more money from ESPN,” she said. “We’re in a television deal where when we signed the deal three or four years ago, we weren’t where we are today. Let’s go back to the table and let’s talk about where we are today.”
Staley stressed the importance of renegotiating in good faith now to ensure a more sustainable and profitable future for women’s sports:
“Let’s negotiate in good faith, because where we’ll be five years from now, right, we’ll think about you all coming back to the table today and maybe not hit you so hard in five years. So that’s what I would want. I want ESPN to step up to the plate and give us a little bit more from collegiately to the WNBA.”
Back in January 2024, the NCAA finalized a massive eight-year, $920 million deal with ESPN, which breaks down to $115 million per year. This agreement gives ESPN exclusive rights to air 40 NCAA championships, including the highly popular Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
With her strong voice both on and off the court, Dawn Staley continues to lead the charge—not just in wins and trophies, but in shaping a more powerful and equitable future for women’s basketball.
