Dawn Staley joins The Breakfast Club

Three takeaways from Dawn Staley’s Breakfast Club interview

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May 26, 2025

Last week, I was scrolling on social media and noticed that University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Head Coach and basketball legend Dawn Staley joined The Breakfast Club. If you’re unfamiliar with The Breakfast Club, it’s a radio show that features interviews with individuals in the music, entertainment, sports, and business industries. Many celebrities and personalities go there when they are releasing a project and a part of their media run. The same goes for Dawn Staley, who recently released her book Uncommon Favor. Staley shared details about her upbringing and lessons learned throughout her life, which are featured in the book, and dished out her thoughts on Caitlin Clark, MiLaysia Fulwiley, and referees. Here are my three biggest takeaways from the interview and why you should watch it.

Fueled by Critics

Staley made it very clear early on in the interview that the critics fuel her, and she sees the noise. She said that she has heard nothing but good things thus far about her new book, Uncommon Favor. Staley went on to talk about how she reads the comments on social media and often does a 10 count instead of responding on social media. Staley even mentioned how many fans were saying she couldn’t coach following the loss to UConn in this year’s National Championship game. Staley mentioned that she is fueled by the losses both on the court, in life, and with her team. When “generational talent,” MiLaysia Fulwiley, entered the transfer portal, Dawn said the team immediately got in her recruiting bag to see how the team could get better and ready for next season.

Similar to Staley, I myself am also fueled by the critics. Although not on the level and stakes as hers, if there’s something that somebody thinks I can’t do or the internal drive to get something done, I’m going to make it happen. I think it’s the Taurus in both of us and the traits of being stubborn and determined that drive us to accomplish the goals that we set out for ourselves.

An interesting moment happened during the interview where one of the hosts asked Staley about how she found her voice, and Staley’s response was gold. As the youngest of five kids growing up, she talked about how she didn’t get much of a say but was very observant and utilized discernment. As she got older and things happened to her, she found her voice. Staley said, “Look, See, Feel.” If something doesn’t look, see, or feel right, she will speak out, and if something looks, sees, or feels good, she will embrace it and speak life into it. Staley hopes to not only get that across to readers but also to her players, staff, and fans.

Team over Individual

When asked about the impact of NIL and the transfer portal, Staley said that she wishes there were a limit on the number of times a student-athlete can transfer. Understanding that current student-athletes can make a decision and choose the wrong school, but also recognizing that this can be life-changing money when entering the transfer portal. If you follow Staley and you watch her teams play, especially this past season, you know the Gamecocks are a program that has been DEEP the past few years. With other coaches complaining about the amount of talent on her teams, last year's leading scorers coming off the bench, Staley re-emphasized her stance on not losing sight of the team over an individual. She pointed to her own life, highlighting her coaching staff, close friends, and an accountant who has been around her since she came to Columbia. In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, Dawn has made it clear that the team is bigger than any individual.

It will be interesting to see how this dynamic will play out for the Gamecocks in the upcoming season as Fulwiley, who Staley has referred to as a generational talent, has moved on to LSU and has been replaced by last year's national leading scorer Ta’Niya Latson. I’m unsure if Latson will be able to sacrifice her numbers for the success of the team and the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Latson won’t be asked to score 25 points a night but instead pick her spots wisely and take over when the team needs her. The depth of SC has been their strength, and adding Latson gives them an assassin on the offensive end at the guard position, something that’s been missing for years. With Staley at the helm and her emphasis on building good habits, will she be able to get Latson on the same page with the rest of the team to not only get back to the National Championship but to win it all?

Charlotte Sting

At the end of the interview, Staley talked about the growth of the WNBA and possible expansion in Philadelphia and Charlotte. She talked about how the success of the NBA teams in those respective cities should be good and needs to be better before a W expansion team arrives, because the expansion teams may not be good in the first couple of seasons. Staley added that the fanbase and support from the community aren’t enough, but the right group of investors and financial backing will be key for the team’s success in the early years. She said that Charlotte is close to being ready for a team, but she wouldn’t want to coach, instead, she would love to be a part of the ownership group. Interested to see if Charlotte will get a team in the next round of expansion announcements.

In my personal opinion, I don’t think Charlotte is ready for a W team. The nostalgia of bringing back the Sting would be a feel-good story for the city, but like Staley said, the sports teams in Charlotte have not been good for a long time. The financial backing is a big part of it as well, although the fans would be excited, the reason why Golden State and next year Toronto and Portland will succeed is because of the investors’ backing of these teams. For the Valkyries, being tied to the Warriors, Chase Center, and having the NBA backing from a successful franchise like the Warriors is huge. Toronto has Drake, the biggest rapper in the world, and the international flair, while Portland has the backing of the Trailblazers and is a buzzing sports town when you look across the sports landscape. Charlotte has the Panthers and Hornets, two of the worst franchises in recent years in their respective sports. Once both of these teams become relevant and make noise in their lanes, then we can have a real conversation about bringing a successful W team to the 704. Do you think Charlotte is poised for a successful W team?

Overall, the interview was pretty good and I’d recommend you all to check it out if you want to learn more about Dawn Staley and her new book. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the interview, you can view it here. Let me know your thoughts on the interview and if you plan on ordering a copy of Staley’s Uncommon Favor.

Uncommon Favor Giveaway

If you’ve made it to the end, thank you. For your ongoing support, we will be giving away THREE copies of Uncommon Favor to three of our supporters.

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