Dawn Staley has been coaching for 26 years. In the last 18 years, and with time, her philosophy around recruiting has undergone change. While most coaches wouldn’t reject a high-talent recruit, her checklist has other things that she prioritizes.

“The next prerequisite is your relationship with your parents. It’s got to be respectful,” Staley told Bakari Sellers in a video posted by Josh Chambers on X. “When I was 20 years younger, I would probably take on any talent…But throughout my years of coaching, I found out that I spend a whole lot more time on those types of players than the ones that were doing the right thing. And that’s really unfair.”

Staley has not only established South Carolina as one of the most celebrated programs in NCAA Division I history, but she has also coached some of the best players in the game.

Alongside Geno Auriemma, Staley is one of the coaches who has always kept her team in contention, and it is owed to her strict selection policy in taking a player in her program.

Aside from talent, which is an obvious qualifier for acceptance into the program, Staley gives a lot of consideration to the talent’s bond with her parents as revealed in her interview clip on X with Sellers.

While no particular high-talent recruit possibilities have come to light, her philosophy has created a positive culture.

In her 18 years with the Gamecocks, Staley’s talent pool includes A’ja Wilson, arguably the greatest WNBA player, Aliyah Boston and Camilla Cardoso. Staley has a close relationship with her players and everyone who has an influence on them, starting with family and friends. 

Staley had a remarkable career as a player, making six All-Star selections in the WNBA and winning three Olympic gold medals as a player and one as a coach. Her trailblazing coaching has perhaps overshadowed her playing career.

With three NCAA titles since 2017, Staley hasn’t compromised on her standards. She has pivoted and learned to change priorities in her demands from her players because she doesn’t see much difference between parenting and coaching.

Dawn Staley wants parents to allow children to grow up without being overprotective

The Gamecocks head coach’s philosophy in coaching finds a lot of resemblance with how she thinks about parenting. According to Staley, a child’s growth should be without much interference. 

Earlier this year during March Madness, she said that she wanted parents not to babysit their children and be overprotective all the time.

“If they can’t work through problems, they’re gonna have some issues,” according to Staley.

The coach has a similar philosophy in her coaching style: allowing her students to fail. 

“I tell them, ‘I love you enough to allow you to fail.’ I do. I love you enough to allow you to hurt and I love you enough for you to have a bad game or bad month or even a bad season,’” she told Jemele Hill in 2022. “And that’s not just basketball, that’s just anything. You’re gonna have bad days that you’re gonna have to just fight.”

Staley’s coaching style is liked and isn’t for everybody. She is honest and wants her players to handle the truth without any sugarcoating. During the same interview, she revealed that close friends of some of her players even discouraged them from playing under Staley. The South Carolina head coach’s truth was sometimes too much to handle for anyone.

But Staley’s success has come because of her coaching philosophy and the standard she has held in her program. Staley has won the Naismith Coach of the Year Award four times. She has guided the Gamecocks to eight SEC regular-season championships and eight SEC Tournament championships.

The 2025 FIBA Hall of Fame has seen success on every level. There is no better brand ambassador of women’s basketball to guide than Staley.