“Do some things that A’ja Wilson wasn’t able to do”: When Dawn Staley lauded Aliyah Boston’s laurels at South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley has a long list of players she has mentored who have become WNBA stars. Two of them are Indiana Fever's Aliyah Boston and Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson, who were a part of different South Carolina teams before becoming standouts in the pros.
In an August 2022 interview with Power 105.1 FM's "The Breakfast Club," Staley was asked how she kept Boston motivated to succeed coming off a national championship win. According to her, it came naturally to Boston especially since she has already surpassed Wilson in some aspects.
"For her to do some things that A'ja Wilson wasn't able to do; she got all of the Player of the Year (awards)," Staley said (20:14). "She swept the whole thing. She's built like that. She wants to win again."
The WNBA legend then talked about how one-of-a-kind Boston was.
"I do think she's a generational talent," Staley said (20:38). "A lot of people tend to put that adjective to guards that maybe shoot from threes or they're just super athletic. But, you know, there aren't many players that get better like in front of your very eyes. She just gets better every single year."
Since getting drafted with the first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft, Boston has been able to bring her collegiate success to the pros, winning the Rookie of the Year award and being named an All-Star twice.
In South Carolina, she was named the Most Outstanding Player in 2022. Boston also won multiple SEC championships and MVP awards.
On the other hand, Wilson has carved out a highly successful WNBA career, having won two championships and two MVP awards. During her time with the Gamecocks, Wilson won the national title and MOP in 2017.
Boston and Wilson are great examples of the kind of professional products Staley has produced in South Carolina in the past decade. As the Gamecocks have been competitive this season, we may see more of her players testing their might in the WNBA soon.
Dawn Staley has turned a new leaf when it comes to the digital age
Staley admitted that she used to enforce strict rules when it came to her players using social media in practices or before and after games. However, with the rise of NIL deals and the presence of the internet as a whole, she is no longer barring her team from using their phones at times.
"I'm looking at it like this is their livelihood," Staley said (23:15). "This is what they do. I want them to capture their college careers the way they want to. We bend a little bit with that."
This season, Staley has popular players such as MiLaysia Fulwiley on the roster — and she may benefit from her coach's new leniency on using social media.