"She doesn't have her legs anymore, she can't dunk anymore": Dawn Staley reveals jokes in practice leading to Ashlyn Watkins' dunk vs TCU
Dawn Staley saw Ashlyn Watkins' dunk in Sunday's game against the TCU Horned Frogs coming. The junior had been practicing getting all the way up in the last few South Carolina Gamecocks practices. With that, the coach might have even fueled Watkins' drive to launch a live-game slam, as Staley had been poking fun at the defensive forwards' hops.
In her post-game interview after an 85-52 win against TCU, Staley revealed that the entire team joked with Ashlyn Watkins about her dunking ability. She also said Watkins was practicing dunking in the shootaround before facing the No. 9 team in the nation. (Start at 4:08)
"I mean Ashlyn's been practicing dunks for the past couple of practices and we always kid her that she doesn't have her legs anymore, she can't dunk anymore um and she actually was in shootaround today dunking and missing," Staley said.
"Then she makes a play like that and I knew she was she cleared the runway, she got to the left side of the floor and I knew she was going to attempt it. I mean Prince was kind of closely behind her, so I didn't think she was going to do it but then when she did it - the place exploded, our bench exploded and I think it's great for our game."
Ashlyn Watkins's ability to dunk the ball is one of the rarest in women's college basketball. She is only the eighth female hooper to rattle the rim in NCAA history, behind names like Candace Parker, Sylvia Fowles and more.
All of Ashlyn Watkins’ dunks under Dawn Staley
Even before stepping into the college world, Ashlyn Watkins was already known for her high-flying ability. She was the McDonald's All-American dunk contest champion in high school. Regardless of the comparatively low playing time earlier in her career, junior Ashlyn Watkins has mounted a slam in all of her seasons with Dawn Staley.
Her first dunk came during a game against Clemson, becoming the first player in Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks to punch it home.
Watkins’ second dunk was in her sophomore year against Kentucky and was her first at the home arena.
And now, the dunk against TCU is Ashlyn Watkins' third in her college basketball career.