Former WNBA star Dawn Staley’s rise from Philadelphia’s projects to the pinnacle of women’s basketball is a master class in perseverance and passion. One of the first women in basketball to sign a million-dollar deal, today, she’s a coaching powerhouse at the University of South Carolina, grooming the next generation of WNBA stars while staying true to her roots.
One of her lifelong loves? Sneakers.
In a resurfaced 2023 interview with the “Boardroom” podcast’s Eddie Gonzalez, Staley reminisced about her career and how a groundbreaking partnership with Nike changed her life. “When you grow up in the projects, a new pair of sneakers gives you life,” she shared. “I didn’t care what I looked like from my ankles up growing up… I’ve been with Nike since 1995.”
Sneakerhead For Life
Staley was one of a select few women to receive a signature sneaker in the 1990s.
“Sheryl Swoopes was the first in our generation to get a shoe. I think Lisa Leslie got signature shoes. And then, you know, it was me, and I didn’t even know I was a sneaker head out of our entire team, like the USA team. I was the one,” she continued.
Remarkably, this achievement came before Staley joined the WNBA. At the time, she was playing in the American Basketball League (ABL), a short-lived league that rivaled the WNBA before folding in 1999. That same year, she signed with the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting, which is the year her Nike Zoom S5 debuted.
“So, when Nike sat me down and told me they wanted to give me a signature shoe, you know, I was in heaven because they really understand, like they understood that I knew what I was talking about,” she shared when talking about the $116.89 billion company.
The Nike Zoom S5 was more than just a shoe, it was a statement.
In the 90’s Nike expand their roster in women’s sports by signing Dawn Staley debuting her own sillouhette the Nike Air Zoom S5 in 1999 it was part of Nike’s Alpha Project. pic.twitter.com/8E6Z5vRC1H
— Sauce Carolina 🌙🌴 (@SauceCarolina) May 19, 2022
“I think my shoe was the flyest of them all,” she said in an interview with Sporting News. “Some women’s shoes look like women’s shoes. I didn’t think my shoe looked like a woman’s shoe. It looked like a dude could really appreciate it and wear it.”
Beyond her sneaker success, Staley’s wealth and influence come primarily from her coaching career.
Currently worth $12 million, she will earn $22.4 million over seven years as the head coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team. The Gamecocks, under her leadership, have achieved historic milestones, including several Final Four appearances and a national championship.
South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner has praised Staley’s impact: “She has built our women’s basketball program from the ground up, and her teams have produced champions, both on and off the floor.”
“The ability to keep Coach Staley at the University of South Carolina is great news for all Gamecocks,” he continued. “I join with our fans in looking forward to seeing the great achievements her program will continue to produce in the future.”
From the courts of Philly to leading a powerhouse program in South Carolina, Staley’s story proves that passion, grit, and staying true to your roots can pave the way for monumental success. And for Staley, sneakers will always hold a special place in that legacy.