PHOTOS: 3x champ Dawn Staley and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu share heartwarming moment during 2024 Paris Olympics
Dawn Staley and Sabrina Ionescu shared a heartfelt moment as Team USA women’s roster clinched an easy 85-64 win over Australia in the semi-finals. Now, just like their male counterparts, the unit will face hosts France in the gold medal game.
As the game concluded, the New York Liberty highlighted the brief encounter between Sabrina Ionescu and the South Carolina Gamecocks’ championship-winning coach Dawn Staley. Sharing a split image on their X, the WNBA franchise shed light on Staley dapping up Ionescu after the game from the sidelines.
"REAL RECOGNIZE REAL," the Liberty wrote on the image while tagging the two women's basketball faces.
For the first time in Olympic history, the same teams will compete for the gold bar in men’s and women’s basketball. Team USA’s semi-final win comes through continuity in Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson’s production. Stewart led the team with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists while Wilson posted 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Additionally, Jackie Young scored 14 points and 5 assists on six of eight shooting while Kahleah Copper garnered 11 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.
Team USA led since the first buzzer, limiting Australia to just 16 points in the first quarter. From there onwards, they only allowed a total of 24 points till the fourth quarter began, sealing a win early in the game.
Only bench players Marianna Tolo, Isobel Borlase and Tess Madgen touched double-digit scoring for the Aussies as their starters struggled to get past 7 points. Australia will now face Belgium in the bronze medal game on August 11.
Dawn Staley has an open invitation for a home-and-home series
Reigning NCAA champion coach Dawn Staley has made the most of her offseason, albeit while reliving her Team USA days from 1996-2004 through front-row seats.
With that, as the new college hoops season nears, Staley went on X to solidify her Gamecocks’ non-conference matchup.
“Really sorry I have to resort to this but we need a game. I’ve had some nice, funny and outlandish convos regarding scheduling a game H/H with a guarantee and guaranteed a great student-athlete experience🥰-any interest please let me know. Need to finish this schedule," she quipped on August 9.
Currently, some notable games in the Gamecocks' schedule include November showdowns against UCLA, Michigan and Iowa State, December matchups against Duke and TCU alongside a February game against UConn Huskies.