South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley gets credit from former USC Trojans star Destiny Littleton.
In an Instagram video, Littleton admitted that she arrived in South Carolina not knowing who Dawn Staley was, even though the coach had already made a name for herself.
“Believe it or not, when I decided to transfer to South Carolina, I didn’t know who Coach Staley was,” Littleton said.
“I was contemplating quitting and I had a meeting with coach Staley and she was like, ‘no, you need to go play,'” Littleton added. “If it wasn’t for her telling me that, then I don’t even know if I would be here right now still playing basketball.”
Coach Staley KNEW 💯 pic.twitter.com/Ffg264YGO0
— 1801 Media (@1801MediaCo) March 2, 2025
At one point, Destiny Littleton did play for the South Carolina Gamecocks. She transferred to South Carolina in the 2020-21 season after spending two years at Texas and was part of the team that won the national championship in 2022.
Under the leadership of Coach Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks clinched the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship with a dominant performance. The Gamecocks defeated the UConn Huskies 64-49 in the championship game, held on April 3, 2022.
This victory marked South Carolina’s second national title in program history, with their first coming in 2017, also under Dawn Staley’s guidance.
Dawn Stanley Becomes Highest-Paid Coach in Women’s Basketball
University of South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley recently became the highest-paid coach in women’s basketball, the school’s announcement said.
Staley recently signed a contract extension with South Carolina through the 2029-30 season for $25.25 million, including a $4 million annual salary, a $500,00 signing bonus, and a $250,000 escalator every season.
“Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has made a tremendous impact on the University of South Carolina,” South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati said. “She has elevated the sport of women’s basketball on the national level and here on campus, and I am excited that she will be representing our University for many years to come.”
“I’m proud to represent the University of South Carolina and of its investment in women’s basketball,” Staley said. “What we’ve been able to accomplish on the court is a testament to what can happen when you bring together the right people from a team perspective but also have the right commitment from the University, the Athletics Department, and the community to providing that team with everything it needs to be successful.”
Dawn Staley has been coaching the South Carolina Gamecocks since May 2008.
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