When Allen Iverson admitted meeting Dawn Staley for the first time was similar to his first meeting with Michael Jordan
Meeting role models in life can be nerve-racking. This was certainly the case for NBA legend Allen Iverson when he met Dawn Staley.
Iverson was a guest on Staley's "NETLIFE with Dawn Staley" podcast uploaded on YouTube in April 2022, where he discussed the impact he left on the basketball culture and other aspects of his career.
One thing that Iverson remembered was how nervous he was when he met Staley, who played for Virginia from 1988 to 1992. Iverson admitted to Staley that she was his favorite women's basketball player of all time.
"I remember I was just so nervous because you were, like, first of all, always on my TV, being from Virginia, and you played for Virginia, you know what I mean?" Iverson said. "That's how you ultimately became my favorite women's basketball player of all time. I used to always see you and couldn't believe a woman could play that way.
"So I just remember the first time I met you, I don't remember the exact date, but just trying not to look too excited, trying to keep my cool. (It was) like the first time I met Mike (Jordan), not on the court, but off the court. Just trying to keep my composure, just keep it together."
Dawn Staley praised Hailey Van Lith's return to star form
Besides her South Carolina players, Dawn Staley also praised one player for returning to her star form: Hailey Van Lith.
Van Lith is having a strong season with the TCU Horned Frogs, averaging 19.6 points, 6.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals on 44.4% shooting, including 27.1% from beyond the arc. Her performances caught Staley's attention, comparing her to how she played at Louisville.
"She's more like she was at Louisville," Staley said on Sunday, via WACH FOX's Matt Dowell. "She's in that mode. You gotta go back and look at the Louisville scout and see the types of things that we did to have an impact on her."
While Van Lith progresses through the remainder of the season in her return as one of the best players, Dawn Staley will prepare No. 3-ranked South Carolina for its matchup against South Florida at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.