“If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that’s it: the connection.” A decade ago, South Carolina Gamecocks’ HC Dawn Staley clearly underlined how she is able to flip a ‘nothing’ program to a powerhouse. Over the years, stories of former Gamecocks players connecting with Staley as their “second mother” have only supported the idea. A’ja Wilson, 2x league MVP and 2x back-to-back WNBA champion, and an NCAA champion, doesn’t miss a chance portraying what Staley did with the program and her students. But with all the stories of the HC-player student, one aspect of the Gamecocks gets eclipsed– the bond between the players. 

It takes a team to become champions, but the Gamecocks stand together as a family; even if they have been away from Columbia for years; even if they are on different teams. Remember when in one of the games last season, Las Vegas Aces’ Wilson and Indiana Fever’s Aliyah Boston had some fights in the paint? Both wanting to assert their dominance as they always do? Staley had to split her cheers for both the players; favoring Boston a little more, who was just in her sophomore year then. But as the game ended, the two former National champs and Staley prodigies hugged it out. Something similar happened when Boston traveled all the way to San Francisco for Fever’s first clash with the new WNBA franchise – The Golden State Valkyries.

Although the 2023 first-overall pick got into multiple foul troubles, having to sit with five by the final 10 minutes in a losing cause, it had nothing on her when she also met her former teammates. Bree Hall, selected the 20th overall in this year’s draft but later waived by the Indiana found a home with the Valkyries. On the other hand, Laeticia Amihere was the eighth overall pick with Boston who landed in San Francisco this season. As expected, by the end of their first game, the three were all smiles and hugs. WNBA’s social platforms shared the moment with the caption: “Once a Gamecock, always a Gamecock 🐓 Laeticia Amihere, Aliyah Boston, and Bree Hall keeping that @gamecockwbb bond strong!” No wonder, Boston wasn’t staying behind from sharing it with her followers.

She uploaded it on her Instagram story while adding her own unique touch. “Sisters.” she penned. And that’s exactly what they are. Not just because they wore the same jersey, but because they all had the honor of playing under the legendary Dawn Staley, someone who taught them more than just basketball. It was the deep-rooted connection the trio shared, one built on years of sweat, sacrifice, and unforgettable memories. After all, the trio played together during the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons at South Carolina, winning the 2022 national championship as a unit. In fact, one of their most emotional moments came right after that title win.

It was when Boston surprised everyone by handing over her All-Tournament Team trophy to Amihere. “I think you played really well this entire tournament, and honestly, we probably wouldn’t be here without you. I do think you deserve to be an All-Star, and so I’m just gonna give you mine because it’s well deserved.”

What else do you expect? A stunned Amihere accepted the glass trophy as her teammates erupted in celebration – one of many reminders that the sisterhood built under Staley’s guidance runs deep. So if you’re surprised by Boston’s postgame connection with her former teammates, maybe you shouldn’t be. Because if you know anything about Dawn Staley, South Carolina basketball, and the kind of culture she’s built, then you already understand…

Once a Gamecock, always a Gamecock

Well, no one proves this saying as much as Aliyah Boston and her former coach, Dawn Staley, do. Remember when Staley poked fun at Boston’s reaction to learning she’d received a technical foul during a heated altercation involving Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese? It’s when Boston joked, asking Clark to cover the fine, and Staley quipped, “She tight with her money. Like, she wants somebody to pay her fine.” Well, it was a classic Boston-Staley anecdote, and you could tell just how well the former head coach understands the star.

That’s because Staley wasn’t just a head coach to Boston; she was a mentor, a role model, and, as Boston once put it, “like a second mom.” It all started when Boston played her very first game for the Gamecocks. In a stunning debut, she recorded a triple-double with 10 blocks, instantly earning a spot in the good books of many fans and analysts.

And why not? She became the first freshman in franchise history, and the first player in Division I history, to post such a stat line in a debut game. From that moment, trust between her and Coach Staley began to grow. But what made their bond even more special was how Staley empowered Boston to lead, not just on the stat sheet, but in the locker room too. “Don’t be afraid to use your voice… I know you have the confidence,” Staley once told her. And after that, there was no looking back.

Boston and Co. then went on a remarkable run that saw them racking up national awards, and even winning a national championship until the star was drafted as No.1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever at W. But, even then, she never let go of the bond she had with the team. Even today, as she continues her journey in the WNBA, Boston still embraces everything that made her time at South Carolina so meaningful. And it’s not a one-sided relationship; both her former teammates and Coach Staley continue to show their love and support for her, proving that some connections truly last beyond college.