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Dawn Staley Teases Return From Retirement After WNBA Star’s Latest Gesture originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley is enjoying the early part of the offseason before returning to the bench to continue her pursuit of a fourth national championship. The 55-year-old has coached plenty of WNBA stars over the years, but one player who stands out in particular is A’ja Wilson.
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Wilson, now with the Las Vegas Aces, is a two-time WNBA champion and three-time league MVP. She played under Staley from the 2014-18 at South Carolina, and the two have maintained a strong relationship since then.
Back in February, Wilson’s signature sneaker, the Nike A’One, was unveiled. It took a few months to hit stores, but just before they became available to the public on May 6, Staley was featured in a Nike advertisement for the shoe.
Staley even commented on Nike’s post of the advertisement.
“A’JA WILSON!!” Staley wrote. “God’s uncommon favor is on display play play!!!! Congrats A! Love you! Proud of you!”
Fast forward to Friday, and Staley teased coming out of retirement after Wilson sent her a pair of the shoe’s newest colorway, the “Leo Lights.”
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“Got ‘em!” Staley posted on Threads. “I’m coming out of retirement so I can get buckets and stops in my A’Ones @aja22wilson.”
South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley.© Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Staley played at both the college level and in the WNBA. She attended the University of Virginia, where she led her team to three Final Four appearances and one national championship game. She also won two Naismith College Player of the Year awards.
Staley went on to play eight seasons in the WNBA, beginning her career with the Charlotte Sting before joining the Houston Comets. Both teams are no longer part of the league.
Staley was a six-time WNBA All-Star and was named to the league’s 10th and 15th Anniversary teams.
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Related: Dawn Staley’s Former Player Records Rare WNBA Feat
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
