Dawn Staley praises 'intentional' way ESPN, media elevates women's basketball: 'We want this to be the norm'

Thursday’s women’s basketball clash between the South Carolina Gamecocks and LSU Tigers was far from your average game, and Dawn Staley realizes that.

Her team came away with a 76-70 win over their SEC foe, but Staley decided to focus on what the night meant for the sport of women’s basketball as a whole. Joining The Paul Finebaum Show, the Gamecocks leader elaborated on why she felt it was a sign of the growth of the sport, and what it could be.

“I think the decision-makers of our game are being much more intentional about showcasing our game. In the same breath, I think they were intentional about not showcasing our game years ago. But I do think they see an opportunity to capitalize, from a financial standpoint. I do see that they’re starting to think it’s entertaining,” Staley said, regarding the pomp and circumstance that surrounded Thursday’s clash. “It’s not just one player. It’s not just one program. It’s grown. The talent is overflowing. Our cup runneth over with talent in the game, talent on the sidelines, talent in the stands. It’s quite incredible, and I don’t think it’s going anywhere. I do think you have to credit a lot of people. You have to credit a lot of individuals.

“I thought Angel Reese and Caitlyn Clark did our game justice with what they were able to do last year. I think our team has contributed in a way, with our success over the past ten years. We’ve contributed in that way. And I do think the timing of the television deal being up has played big dividends for our game to grow in the way that it’s growing. I do think there’s new leadership at ESPN that’s giving us our due. They’ve personally reached out, and they’ve checked in periodically. That’s being intentional. They know I’m a person that’ll speak out, and try to get our game to a platform where we’re respected in that regard. So I really do appreciate that, I appreciate the intentionality of our decision-makers now.”

Dawn Staley on the growth of women’s basketball: ‘We understand that this is what could’ve been happening a long time ago’

Alas, the growth of the sport over the last year or so isn’t surprising to Staley. She recognizes that herself, along with many of the major figures in the game, always knew this was possible.

“I don’t know if it’s me, I think it’s all of us. All of us that had — all of us stakeholders in the game. We’re screaming at the top of our lungs, because we’ve been in it for a long time, and we understand that this is what could’ve been happening a long time ago,” Staley surmised. “Like, we had all of College GameDay. All their talent in one place. Which is huge. They packed the bus with their faces on it. So we’re being intentional with who are the people who are broadcasting our game, who are the people analyzing our game.

“I think there were a lot of No’s, when it came to putting our game on display: ‘No, we’re not going to do it. No, here’s,’ and it’s nothing against cornhole, ‘Put cornhole on.’ I actually love it. I’m a cornhole player. And that’s not to say there’s not room for all of us, but I’m just talking women’s basketball, and it being intentionally ignored in that way. But you see the flip-side of it. I don’t know what the numbers are, but I’m sure the numbers are going to be pretty good.”

Continuing, Staley doesn’t want this to be a one-and-done situation. The South Carolina leader believes in the sport, and that it could continue to rise, becoming the new normal for women’s basketball.

“I hope so,” Staley responded, asked whether the success was sustainable. “We want this to be the norm. This can be a normal thing, if we continue to be intentional about highlighting all the people in our game. All the programs in our game.

“I mean, LSU’s the defending national champion. We were a Final Four participant. We were the 2022 national champions. There should be storylines. We are the top two teams in the SEC. That’s a matchup worth watching.”

Time will tell what the future holds for women’s basketball, but as the sport continues it’s growth in the public eye, you can bet Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks will be right in the middle of it.