South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is a no-nonsense individual. She says it like she sees it, even if it goes against the general opinion or ticks some people off. She showcased the same after her team was criticized for their physicality after a Final Four loss against Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes.
More than two years later, Staley was asked about her comment on CBS Mornings. Staying true to her character, Staley stood her ground and explained why she went off on the critics.
“When anybody’s upset or anybody disagrees with anything, that you believe in…you can stick to the facts,” Staley said.
She stated that she understands people are emotionally invested in a lot of what’s going on. However, one can’t publicly criticize players solely based on their emotions. In her opinion, facts should be prioritized above personal opinions, which are often driven by emotions.
“And there are gonna be some emotions about what’s taking place. Once you get over the emotional part of it. And you, 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.”
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After the Final Four exit of the Gamecocks, a reporter pointed out that other teams think that Staley’s team is full of bullies. They were targeted for playing the game more physically as compared to others.
During a press conference, Staley set the record straight. She said:
“We’re not bar fighters. We’re not thugs. We’re not monkeys. We’re not street fighters. This team exemplifies how you need to approach basketball on the court and off the court. And I do think that that’s sometimes brought into the game, and it hurts.”
“We’re not bar fighters. We’re not thugs. We’re not monkeys. We’re not street fighters. … So watch what you say when you’re in public and you’re talking about my team in particular.”
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had a message for the media. pic.twitter.com/4Y6WL3T8MX
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 1, 2023
During her tenure, she has shown that she will stand up for her players wherever necessary. The incident in 2023 was just another example of that.
Dawn Staley had an issue with the racial undertone in her team’s criticism
Staley told the media that her team wouldn’t change how they play the game, and she wouldn’t change how she coaches her players. But the bigger issue here was the racial undertone outlined by some reporters.
“Don’t judge us by the color of our skin. Judge us by how we approach the game,” Staley said. “You may not like how we play the game … that’s the way we play. That’s the way I coach. We’re not changing.”
She warned the media about their comments, stating that they should watch what they say and write about her team in public.
“You can not like our team, you can not like me, but when you’re saying things that you probably should be saying in your home on the phone or texting out in public and you’re being heard, and you are a national writer for our sport, it just confirms what we already know,” Staley said.
It was rare to see a coach come out all guns blazing in support of her team. While most people look to sweep such strong and polarizing issues under the rug because of the blowback it invites, Staley tackled it head-on.
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