Dawn Staley is a fiery mentor who has produced a host of talented WNBA players. Though these athletes have left Staley’s mentorship behind, she is ready to take up for their cause when they come under scathing criticism.

This week, Bay Area reporter Matt Lively had to find that out the hard way. In a tweet on Kate Martin getting cut by the Golden State Valkyries, Lively wondered out loud why the team opted to keep Laeticia Amihere instead of Martin. This prompted Staley, Amihere’s coach at South Carolina, to fire back at Lively.

“Not cool to actually use other players names specifically Laeticia Amihere for your personal preface. I hope if you cover the Valkyries you can unbiasedly do so moving forward.”

In her four-year stint under Dawn Staley in South Carolina, Laeticia Amihere made a name for herself as a defensive stalwart. Even when Staley relegated her to the bench in her final season with the Gamecocks, Amihere continued to give quality minutes, facilitating plays and finding ways to stop the opposing teams’ production in the frontcourt.

After spending the first two years of her WNBA career with the Atlanta Dream, Amihere was claimed by the Valkyries off the waivers. Now that the expansion team has gotten a full season, not to mention a playoff run, under their belt, Amihere will get more chances to prove her worth as a workhorse in Golden State.

“Make That a Baker’s Dozen”: Dawn Staley Celebrates the High Count of South Carolina Products in the WNBA

That wasn’t the only instance this week of Dawn Staley taking great pride in her Gamecocks program. Clearly, the multi-titled coach is keeping tabs on the number of South Carolina players currently active in the WNBA.

“Make that a baker’s dozen! @GamecockWBB in the @WNBA! Lord I thank you!!” Staley tweeted.

The list of Gamecocks who are currently signed in the WNBA includes reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, All-Stars Aliyah Boston and Allisha Gray, and recently drafted players Raven Johnson, Madina Okot, and Ta’Niya Latson.