Adia Barnes Credits Dawn Staley for Giving Sahnya Jah a Second Chance — and Believes Her Best Basketball Is Still Ahead
In March 2024, then-Arizona head coach Adia Barnes decided to go straight to the source when recruiting former South Carolina forward Sahnya Jah from the transfer portal.
Barnes knew Jah’s situation came with baggage. The talented forward had been suspended indefinitely from Dawn Staley’s program that February for “conduct detrimental to the team” and never suited up for the Gamecocks again. Before making any move, Barnes picked up the phone and called Staley, whom she considers a close friend.
“Dawn, I know that she didn’t play most of the year,” Barnes recalled asking. “Is she worth taking?”
Staley didn’t hesitate in her response.
“Yes,” Staley told her.
That one-word endorsement convinced Barnes to take the chance. A year and a half later, Barnes has no regrets. Now the SMU head coach — having taken the job in April — she believes Jah is primed for her breakout season.
“If Dawn would have told me, ‘Absolutely not,’ I wouldn’t have taken her,” Barnes said Monday during the ACC Tipoff media event in Charlotte. “But I think people make mistakes, and I do believe in second chances. … Everybody needs different things. I’m really glad I did.”
Jah’s Tumultuous Journey Through College Basketball
Once a four-star recruit and the No. 40 player in her class, Sahnya Jah entered college as a rising star from Montverde (Fla.) Academy, where she helped lead the school to a GEICO national championship.
At South Carolina, she showed flashes of her potential, averaging 3.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in just 9.1 minutes per game as a freshman on a loaded roster. But her time with the Gamecocks ended abruptly after her February 2024 suspension.
Transferring to Arizona, Jah saw increased production, averaging 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per contest — though she appeared in only 18 of 33 games. She was again sidelined midseason by an NCAA suspension, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
Staley has never disclosed the reason behind Jah’s South Carolina suspension, and Barnes declined to discuss specifics about either suspension. However, she was candid about Jah’s personality and growth.
“She’s a kid you have to invest in,” Barnes said. “You’ve just gotta keep her in line. She can go sideways for a second — you’ve just got to get her back. But she’s a good person and has a good heart. She’s just young. I think I did young, stupid stuff when I was her age, too.”
Barnes Sees a ‘180’ in Jah’s Maturity
Jah was one of three players who followed Barnes to SMU this offseason as the Mustangs joined the ACC. Barnes believes the 6-foot forward has grown immensely over the past year.
“From last year to this year, it’s been a 180, really,” she said.
Staley has continued to publicly support her former player, emphasizing that Jah remains part of the Gamecock family and deserves another opportunity. That trust from Staley continues to resonate with Barnes.
“I understand that I have to keep a tight rein on her, but that’s OK,” Barnes said. “Every player is different and needs different things. I needed a lot my first couple years (as a player at Arizona), and then the light bulb went off.”
Now, with a fresh start at SMU — a team made up largely of transfers and freshmen — Jah is expected to take on a major role.
“Just watching how much she’s matured even in a year has been great,” Barnes said. “Or else I wouldn’t have brought her. So I believe in her. I believe — I know — that she has a tremendous amount of potential, and I just want her to be successful.”
