CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In a way, it was a welcome home for South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley on SATURDAY.
The Gamecocks defeated NC State 71-59 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte in the 2024 Ally Tipoff, the same city where Staley spent five seasons playing in the WNBA for the Charlotte Sting. Staley was drafted in the first round, ninth overall in the 1999 WNBA Draft, by the Virginia Sting.
“We’re very lucky, no matter where we go, our fans come,” Staley said. “The fact that we’re right down the street, the fact that I spent many summers here, I really enjoyed this city, they embraced me, I embraced them, seeing my career come full circle , being so close in Charlotte, I never imagined I would be here in this capacity, coaching, this is my 25th year coaching, it’s a great place, a great opportunity for women’s basketball. “
She played at the old Charlotte Coliseum, about six miles from where South Carolina (2-0) played Saturday. She was asked if she could see Charlotte as a Final Four venue in the near future.
“Yeah, if Ally (tipoff) can host it, it’ll be amazing. I think it’s a sample of what this city can do…I’ve been a part of the WNBA franchise being here, people came to see us play, I still have a relationship with all the ball girls, ball boys… it’s incredible to see, I think it’s a privileged place for a WNBA team, for a Final Four. .. you see the city just embrace the game, and I can’t wait to see what the next game is like.”
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Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Send him an email to [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article was originally published on Greenville News: What Dawn Staley said about returning to Charlotte after her WNBA career
