South Carolina Gamecock’s head coach, Dawn Staley is known for a strong yet resilient locker room. It was the sheer resilience that kept the Gamecocks roster striving against the UConn Huskies during the 2024-25 national championship. Despite a fantastic title championship, the Gamecocks failed to stand their ground against the Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong, and Azzi Fudd trio. As a result, their journey came to an end as Huskies whisked away the trophy.

While Staley’s culture allows athletes to have a strong bond whilst developing their skills under the headstrong coach, loss of even one player comes at the cost of the entire team. Especially if it is a standout player. Despite dropping an impressive 7.2 points and 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game under Staley’s system, this junior forward succumbed to a brutal ACL tear in January 2025. And what came next was right out of a horror film. The Gamecocks’ key athlete, Ashlyn Watkins was forced to miss the remainder of the season.

While Staley & Co. were awaiting her hopeful return, Watkins recently released a public statement informing her inability to return to the Gamecocks locker room this year. Especially after following the events of last season. This announcement prompted head coach Dawn Staley to break her silence on the matter. Moreover, College hoops analyst and Sports Director for Wach Fox in Columbia, Matt Dowell, shared Coach Staley’s response via X, posting a screenshot of her official statement along with the caption, “Statement from Dawn Staley on Ashlyn Watkins’ announcement.”

“Everyone in our program is as valued as the whole of who they are, not just as a player or coach or staff member, and not just for the time they are on our team,” HC Dawn Staley said. “We will support Ashyln as she works through getting her body and mind stronger; and we will be here when she is ready to return.” This reinstates the values of the South Carolina team that refuses to give up on a struggling athlete and speaks volumes about coach Staley.

Though Staley earlier confessed how much she and the team missed their strong rebounder, they continued to navigate through the season without her. With Ashlyn focusing on “myself, my community, my faith, my family, so that I can grow as an individual and attempt to master the journey of life,” it will be exciting to watch how HC Staley does not let the absence affect the roster.

NBA Team New York Knicks consult HC Dawn Staley

After the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Dallas Mavericks slammed the door on the New York Knicks, refusing to grant permission for interviews with Ime Udoka, Chris Finch, and Jason Kidd, respectively, the team needed to get a little creative. After all, their hunt for the head coach spread like wildfire online.

Naturally, after Dawn Staley’s comments on grabbing a coaching position in the men’s professional league went viral, the team rushed to consult the South Carolina Gamecocks head coach for the open position. “Both Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown are headed for a second round of interviews. Micah Nori is still being considered,” the Knicks Fan Tv reported. “The Knicks have also reached out to South Carolina HC Dawn Staley about the job.”

Unfortunately, the Knicks were in for a shocking update. Staley had signed a $25.25 million contract extension with the University of South Carolina in January 2025. This deal made her the highest-paid coach in the history of women’s college basketball. The deal runs through the 2029–30 season and includes a $4 million base salary, a $500,000 signing bonus, and an annual $250,000 escalator.

But while Staley’s recent deal hints towards her committed to the South Carolina for now, things in the coaching world can change in the blink of an eye. Especially when they are related to the NBA and the WNBA. As the coach gears up for an exciting journey ahead, will Ashlyn Watkins’ absence affect the roster’s overall performance or will the team clinch an impressive national championship this year? That remains to be seen.