Dawn Staley Reveals the Hysterical Reason Why She Wanted to Win the National Championship

Published 04/28/2024, 7:10 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

There is no denying that Dawn Staley is an ideal source of inspiration for not just college basketball stars but for women in general. The 3× NCAA Division I Tournament champion is known to bring the best out of her players, which has resulted in her touching tremendous heights. South Carolina winning the women’s basketball national championship further cemented Staley’s legacy as a legend of the game. But what motivates her to be the queen of her respective field? The answer to that may come as a surprise to many. 

One of the highlights of the Gamecocks’ NCAA Title win over Iowa was the post-game interview. Staley was asked what was next for the 53-year-old after this. Brazenly, her response in front of over 18 million people was, “I’m headed to Disney World!” 

Taking a page out of Patrick Mahomes’ family trips, Staley expressed that she secretly wanted to win the national championships just so she could say in front of everyone that she was going to Disney World. Staley added, “I actually secretly wanted to win because I got to say it, I got to say it in front of 18 million people where I was going… Thank God we won the National Championship and we were welcomed here today.” 

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And so it happened on Saturday. A magnificent experience that began with a ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris to the Magic Kingdom. Accompanied by her fellow South Carolina basketball assistant coaches, she didn’t shy away from snapping herself alongside Minnie Mouse.

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Furthermore, Staley also wishes to visit the magical universe again with her players. Anyhow, not many are aware that she’s just following a customary procedure. 

Dawn Staley keeps the tradition going

The Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are the go-to destinations for all the prominent names in the sporting world following a major accomplishment. Started by the New York Giants in 1987 after their Super Bowl win, a Disney park has become a part of the celebratory routine. Staley joins a long list of NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and Olympics personalities who thought it fitting to enjoy the spoils here and be a proud member of this tradition. 

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USA Today via Reuters

A delighted Staley getting some much-deserved break after a hectic campaign. Evidently, she decides to make the most of it in the best possible way. Now, everyone will know where will she head if she manages to pull something similar in the future. That won’t be surprising at all for anyone. 

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Written by:

Shahryar Fazal

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Shahryar Fazal is a senior NBA writer at EssentiallySports. His specialisation lies in his scrupulous Live Coverage of the events like NCAA and WNBA tournaments. A former sportsman himself, Shahryar used to contribute stories for publishing houses like TOI before taking up American sports as his field of interest.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth