Mar 7, 2025; Greenville, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon
Dawn Staley is one of Philadelphia’s best coaching exports ever.
Since leaving Temple in 2008 for South Carolina, she’s become one of the biggest names in the sport. Staley created a powerhouse program in Columbia, making seven Final Fours, winning three National Championships and producing a multitude of WNBA players.
When it’s all said and done, Staley will be in the conversation for the best college coach in history. Though because of her Philadelphia roots, people have always speculated on whether the 55-year-old would be willing to return to her hometown to coach in the WNBA.
There’s one problem: Philadelphia doesn’t have a WNBA franchise. There’s another problem: Staley wouldn’t want to coach it, even if they got one.
Kylie Kelce posed the hypothetical to Staley during an episode of her "Not Gonna Lie" podcast. Staley quickly shut it down.
“No. You know why? Because I’d rather be an owner,” Staley told Kelce. “Okay, I think there's much more in it to ownership. I think I know a lot of people think that coaching is my best attribute, and I do think I'm a pretty good coach, but when I'm an owner, I could probably touch more people.”
Whenever the WNBA decides to add a team in Philly, @dawnstaley and Kylie will be ready. 👀
Full episode is out now on all platforms! pic.twitter.com/iiD4aeZEkL
Kelce co-signed Staley’s statement, saying that she would invest in the team.
“I do think that Philly is a great market for it,” Kelce said. “As passionate as we are and as much momentum as women's sports has right now ... guys, come on.”
Obviously, Staley not wanting to coach will be disappointing to some who want a WNBA team in Philly, but her potentially wanting to still be involved will excite others.
Staley is Philadelphia born and bred. She attended Dobbins Tech High School, where she became the National High School Player of the Year. After a decorated playing career, which included six WNBA All-Star appearances, she returned to her roots, and coached Temple from 2000 to 2008. Even while becoming one of the biggest names in women’s basketball at South Carolina, Staley hasn’t been afraid to represent Philly. This past season, she wore Eagles gear while coaching on the sideline during their playoff run. .
Last season, Staley led South Carolina to a 35-4 record, falling in the National Championship to UConn.
Women’s basketball has seen an increase in popularity over the past few years. Caitlin Clark has drawn attention to the college game and now the WNBA with her 30-foot 3-point barrages, precise passing and overall excitement. According to ESPN, the league’s viewership saw a 170% increase from the 2023 to 2024 regular season.
With Philly being a rabid sports town, there’s been momentum surrounding it being a candidate for an expansion team. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported earlier this year that Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment put in an official bid for an WNBA expansion team. In 2024, WNBA commissioner Kathy Engelbert said the league hopes to expand to 16 teams by 2028. The Golden State Valkyries became the WNBA’s 14th team this season.
Staley called the professional sports teams “the cornerstones of our city,” and Philadelphia is one of the biggest markets without a WNBA team.
However, with how poorly the Sixers performed last season and their overall disappointment over the past decade, the appetite for basketball in town might be low. Staley is well aware of that.
“I will say this, and I've said this, we do have to get the Sixers going, it really helps,” Staley said. “Timing is key, like it really is. When the time is right, it will be around for a long time. If it's forced on Philadelphians, you give us room to criticize it. If it doesn't, if it doesn't start off right, you give Philly room to boo Santa Claus.”
Even with all of this commentary, it doesn’t seem like Staley is going to leave South Carolina anytime soon. Her current contract runs through the 2029-30 season, with an annual salary of $4 million. It would be a giant move for Staley to walk away from coaching considering the impact she’s had at South Carolina. But the WNBA’s rise in popularity is an interesting wrinkle in the situation, especially if Philadelphia eventually gets a team.
