“Billions of dollars that are being made”: When $12 million worth Dawn Staley emphasized on NIL’s impact on college basketball
Dawn Staley was one of the few coaching names who advocated for NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) in college sports. She claimed that it could open doors for lucrative corporate partnerships, allowing players more control of their careers and more. She also believed that by adequate compensation of women basketball players, college can serve as a training ground for the WNBA.
In an interview with News 19 WLTX released on March 15, 2024, Staley, who is worth $12M (as per Forbes), briefly touched on the importance and benefits of NIL. She also highlighted the University of South Carolina and her Gamecocks' efforts to educate the players about NIL and guide them through the necessary steps to benefit from their brand.
"If you look at the billions of dollars that are being made from college athletics, people are benefiting," Staley said. "Who's benefiting? Universities are benefiting, colleges are benefiting."
"So, I think there are ways in which we can provide a way that every student athlete can benefit from being in this space. And that's why we take a lot of time to help our players build their brands."
The interview also touched on a specific instance from Dawn Staley's playing years at the University of Virginia. She often found herself short on funds while her Cavaliers teammates went out for movies and dinners.
The 2024 NCAA champion coach realizes that NIL would have changed her monetary situation. However, Dawn Staley claimed that she would still prefer to stay in than go out, even when she was a player.
Dawn Staley gives her roster a reality check after win against South Florida
Despite multiple close games, the South Carolina Gamecocks have sustained their potential to contend so far this season. However, after Dawn Staley’s roster let the South Florida hang around longer than she expected, the coach accused her players of getting greedy.
"Yeah, you get greedy,” Staley said in the post-game conference. "You think they have it. Like, this is it. Like, this is our norm now, our standard. And then you backslide a little bit and it’s just that fight. You just got to continue to fight for the way that we need to play, no matter who we’re playing and it’s impactful basketball."
Gamecocks are coming off defeating No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs by a 33-point difference on a neutral court. With that, the expectations from the Gamecocks were higher on Sunday, especially since they faced an unranked team at home.