Dawn Staley Quickly Rejects Idea of Coaching Philadelphia’s WNBA Team

Dawn Staley Quickly Rejects Idea of Coaching Philadelphia’s WNBA Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Dawn Staley has long been a powerful voice in women’s basketball. Known for building dominant teams at South Carolina, she’s also become increasingly involved in the broader conversation around the WNBA and its stars.

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Now 55 years old, the Gamecocks head coach continues to elevate her program while keeping a close eye on the growth of the professional game. As she prepares for another run at a national title in the 2025-26 season, Staley is also sharing more of her story and her vision for the future of women’s basketball.

Earlier this week, she joined Kylie Kelce, wife of former NFL star Jason Kelce, on the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. During their conversation, the topic of a possible WNBA expansion franchise in Philadelphia came up.

Staley was direct with her answer.

“No. You know why?” She asked. “Because I would rather be an owner. I think there’s much more to ownership.”

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She paused briefly, then continued:

“If I am an owner, I think I can touch more people.”

Staley made it clear that while she has deep roots in Philadelphia, coaching a WNBA team there isn’t in her plans. Instead, she sees ownership as a path to making a broader impact.

During the interview, Staley also spoke about her new book ‘Uncommon Favor,’ which reflects on the highs of her career, most notably South Carolina’s undefeated run to the 2024 NCAA championship.

“The things that have been happening to me in my career. The really good things. We won an NCAA national championship in undefeated fashion,” she said.

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As for why she chose now to release the book:

“I felt like it was the right time to do it… to pay homage to Philly and North Philly.”

The book is ranked No. 15 on the New York Times Audio bestseller list. Staley has been busy promoting it with a spring book tour and signing events.

Staley began her coaching career at Temple in 2000. After eight seasons there, she took over at South Carolina in 2008. Since then, she’s turned the Gamecocks into a powerhouse, with five straight trips to the NCAA tournament Final Four.

Staley’s influence continues to grow well beyond the court. Whether it’s speaking on the future of the WNBA or honoring her Philadelphia roots, her voice is one of the most respected in the sport.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.