South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley has once again stood firmly behind her players, dismissing criticism that her team plays “overly physical” basketball.
During an appearance on CBS Mornings to promote her memoir, Uncommon Favor, Staley addressed the narrative head-on, making it clear she won’t shy away from defending her program or her principles.
“When anybody’s upset or anybody disagrees with anything that you believe in, you can stick to the facts,” Staley said. “There are gonna be some emotions about what’s taking place. Once you get over the emotional part of it, and you turn it over to the facts, the facts are the facts, and they will speak to whatever it is that, no matter what you disagree with or agree with, the facts remain the same.”
Staley, who has a net worth of $12 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), suggested that media coverage of Black athletes can sometimes be clouded by bias—making accuracy and fact-based discussion even more important.
On Embracing Tough Conversations
Beyond defending her team, Staley stressed the need for coaches to lean into difficult discussions—especially about social justice, equity, and equality—subjects that many in sports shy away from.
“It’s important to have those conversations because they aren’t being had,” she said. “I’ve been very blessed by pay equity—not blessed, in that I fought for it. It’s not going to just come to you. You actually have to approach them with what you think your worth is. Knowing your worth.
Once you know your worth, you’re unafraid to speak on what you think it is, whether they believe so or not… sometimes you have to do the unpopular right thing.”
Clearing the Air About Her Childhood
In her book, Staley describes growing up in North Philadelphia and her reluctance to let college recruiters visit her home. On CBS Mornings, she explained that her hesitation was never about shame, but about protecting what she considered sacred.
“I thought where I grew up was sacred. From the outside, people probably saw an impoverished community. But to me, it was the grandest,” Staley said. “They take care of you. They protect you. They make sure you’re not doing the things you’re not supposed to be doing.”
While she admitted her mother may have mistaken her reluctance for embarrassment, Staley insisted that was never the case—it was pride, not shame, that kept her protective of her neighborhood.
