Lookup and the primary stuff you’ll see inside South Carolina’s observe health club are the portraits of the gamers she’s coached, mentored, impressed: first-round WNBA draft picks together with A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, Alaina Coates, Allisha Grey, Kaela Davis, Laeticia Amihere, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Ty Harris and Zia Cooke. They function a reminder to anybody who steps within the health club that, even inside a whole athletic program, The Daybreak Staley Period is, and has all the time been, on the forefront. She’s the one Gamecocks basketball coach—males’s or girls’s—to amass 300 wins, and the one Black head coach in hoops—males’s or girls’s—to win a number of nationwide championships. Look throughout the health club and also you’ll discover there are phrases plastered on the partitions that mirror what she embodies, too: TOUGHNESS, PASSION, FAMILY.
When the legend herself walks in carrying an all-white match, her aura and power is mesmerizing. Her presence instructions the whole room. This is identical visionary who simply led her crew to an undefeated season and this system’s third nationwide championship, a feat only a few anticipated them to perform. That is the very trailblazer who’s the best paid Black coach in all of ladies’s basketball. That is the Daybreak Staley, the dream service provider who has led not only a program, however the tradition, into a brand new day the place nobody can deny what she’s carried out and nobody can doubt that she is among the greats. It’s written within the banners, within the stars, and on this very cowl. She is in cost. The CEO of excellence.
SLAM 250 that includes Daybreak Staley is offered now.
Together with her proper hand man, Champ, prancing a couple of steps behind her, Staley exudes calm, cool and picked up as she walks onto set. Biggie is blasting via the audio system within the background, serving as the proper anthem for what we’re making an attempt to seize: her aura, her power and all that rattling swaggggg. Not solely is that this Daybreak’s first-ever solo SLAM cowl, however it’s the primary time ever that any coach has had their very own cowl for the journal. At this time is about capturing the legacy of somebody who’s approach larger than the field scores—however, if we’re talkin’ hoops, a legacy that features 38 straight wins this previous season. The Gamecocks have been out right here destroying groups by upwards of fifty, 60, nah, 80 factors per sport.
As legendary photographer Diwang Valdez snaps away, Staley, who’s now carrying the crew’s 2024 Nationwide Champions tee, effortlessly poses in entrance of the digital camera. Simply if you assume the flicks couldn’t get any extra fly, Daybreak turns issues up with one other outfit change. This time she’s rocking a black blazer, tearaway joggers and, in fact, a crisp Louis Vuitton tee. She goes from giving smooth smiles and playful banter to remodeling, as she leans again into the chair she’s now sitting in, crosses her legs and rests her elbow on a basketball. She stares into the lens, giving the identical look that we’ve seen from her on the court docket. It’s deeply methodical, poetic even. Proper now, Daybreak means enterprise.
That is the face of somebody who has personified power, resilience and authenticity for many years. Right here, she offers us a glimpse into her thoughts and her magic—a dialog that’s as a lot about basketball as it’s about how she sees folks, her legacy, and—with true sincerity—herself.
SLAM: You’ve talked about previously the way you didn’t actually have an curiosity in teaching, at the very least early on. Are you able to carry us again to if you have been taking part in within the WNBA and training at Temple on the identical time?
Daybreak Staley: Some of the gratifying moments of my life was to have the ability to play after which be capable of coach all on the identical time. As a result of it performed on each side of my mind and the fervour was on full show. If any of the youthful gamers within the WNBA ever have the chance to do each, they’d discover that it’s so fulfilling. You’re in a position to get out the aggression of taking part in whereas additionally being a dream service provider for youthful gamers and giving them an expertise that you’re truly dwelling. Numerous coaches have to return in time to that place after they have been taking part in, however if you’re in a position to do it in actual time, it’s an computerized respect out of your gamers as a result of they know you’re doing the very factor that you simply’re asking them to do and to be disciplined at.
SLAM: You typically seek advice from your self not simply as a coach however a “dream service provider.” Are you able to elaborate on what you imply?
DS: Anyone that’s teaching this sport, that’s what you’re. I do know we strive to determine our function in teaching, and it’s simply that: being a dream service provider for younger folks. Serving to younger folks discover their ardour [and] work in the direction of that. It’s not all the time basketball—it’s not. For 90 p.c of them, it’s not basketball. It is determining what you need to do, as a result of I need folks to work of their ardour. It’s a lot simpler to work in your ardour if that’s what you do each day. The true world actually is taxing. It pulls you in numerous totally different instructions and when you’re not captivated with it, you aren’t going to present it your full effort. And possibly half of you is sweet sufficient in some cases, however for you as an individual, your achievement is most necessary.
So, what does a dream service provider do? That individual guides, that individual helps to navigate, that individual is a listener [and] an observer. That individual is somebody that’s reliable of not solely the student-athlete however all people that touches that student-athlete, as a result of it’s not only a one-way road. All younger folks have folks of their lives that impression them. I discover that younger folks speak to their dad and mom each single day…I feel again to after I was their age, I most likely talked to my mother or my dad possibly twice a month. And you realize when that was? When the funds have been low. However they speak to them day by day, so I’m like, OK, effectively, I could have to alter my model. I could must pivot just a little bit as a result of I need to be the most important voice in my gamers’ heads, and if it’s the dad and mom which have entry in that approach, in speaking to their daughters day by day, [then] I gotta speak to the dad and mom.
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SLAM: Who have been your mentors? And did any coaches encourage you?
DS: I actually didn’t have teaching mentors. I’m extra of a non-public individual. I don’t like to point out weak spot, and that’s most likely a downfall of mine, however it’s the very factor that retains me going, as a result of it has me working. It all the time has me getting ready for the worst, and I don’t prefer to take my issues to anyone else. I’ll say I’ve folks in my life that I bounce issues off that [are not] as near the sport as most likely another coaches, and I like them to present me suggestions from the surface trying in, as a result of when it’s all mentioned and carried out, I prefer to be lined. My thoughts works as a basketball coach more often than not, so I’m all the time searching for basketball issues to show classes to our gamers as a result of I imagine that typically they study higher from that standpoint.
After which, if I get recommendation from someone that’s not within the basketball world, I can steadiness that and make it possible for I’m giving our gamers what I see, in addition to what someone else might even see that I’m not overlaying.
SLAM: Has your strategy to teaching modified at everywhere in the years? Are there issues that labored early in your profession that will not work now and vice versa?
DS: We’re in an period the place we have now to pivot. What labored 24 years in the past won’t work in the present day. I’ll say this: The core ideas of who I’m as an individual and coach doesn’t change. [The] battles I combat? They alter. Take as an example this yr—my strategy was solely totally different than my strategy in simply the latest years. In recent times, we had a gaggle of gamers that bought it. They understood the project and what they wanted to do and so they executed on and off the court docket, in order that they gave us no points. I used to be simply in a position to be a basketball coach.
This yr, they have been totally different. They have been youthful, their strategy was totally different. They have been lackluster, they didn’t actually have a plan as people—they could have thought they’d a plan. Their plan was simply to play extra. You possibly can strategy it that approach, however it’s shallow, so that you gotta put one thing behind it. We labored from a spot that we hadn’t labored from in a very long time, which was, Hit the bottom operating. We couldn’t [even do that] as a result of they couldn’t run, they have been outta form. They got here in simply pondering, I wanna play. I sat for a very long time. It’s my time. Effectively, their time, and who they thought was taking their time, [the] strategy was loads totally different. Zia, Aliyah, Brea [Beal], all of them got here in form. Each time that we needed to come again in the summertime, so we might hit the bottom operating…It was extra of making higher self-discipline and habits, as a result of they hadn’t shaped it to the diploma of them being able to rock and roll. So, I checked out it as a problem, and as soon as I checked out it [as that], I bought extra passionate behind it as a result of I’m drawn to challenges. It was cool as a result of they did educate me [that] there are a variety of the way to achieve success and quite a few methods to strategy issues.
One of many battles that I didn’t combat that I usually combat: if all people had the identical sweatsuit on, and one individual didn’t, I knew that they spoke to that individual. I knew it. I might see it, I’m [it] and it appears unusual to me…I approached it as a mistake that had been dealt with. However that’s one of many issues I didn’t combat, as a result of I knew this crew had a approach of delivering the message that I might ship.
SLAM: As you talked about, the beginning of the season was just a little totally different for you. What do you attribute this yr’s success to?
DS: We’ve had the perfect crew within the nation previous to this yr, I might say for years. The perfect crew within the nation and this one ended up being the perfect crew within the nation by the use of default, so to talk. However it was a approach that was shaped by them and I’ll give all of them the credit score as a result of they may’ve balked, they may’ve mentioned, I needs to be beginning—for some time, they may’ve mentioned, I’m the It. I needs to be beginning. Tessa [Johnson could’ve been like], I might play with the perfect of them. Let me get a few of Breezy’s time. Let me get a few of Raven’s time. [But] they didn’t. Truly, the kids simply allowed the older gamers to information them to the purpose the place they have been so assured coming into the basketball sport that they knew that they have been going to make an impression. They usually stored holding one another accountable. Ashlyn [Watkins] discovered her superpower, and her superpower is on each side of the basketball, however it was additionally main. Her voice was prevalent in huddles, and it bought to the purpose the place they didn’t need to lose. It wasn’t even being undefeated, they only didn’t need to lose. It was nothing about profitable each sport, however within the second of every sport, they didn’t need to lose. So, they’d hear to one another and so they have been very coachable, after which we simply bought momentum. We stored pushing via after which after we bought to the Last 4, they have been like, We gonna win this factor.
Earlier than the nationwide championship sport, they have been speaking main money ish. The coaches’ locker room is linked to the large locker room, and we don’t go in there [to] allow them to have their house. I’m too near the state of affairs, I don’t need to hear them, [but] they’re like, We’re going to kick their A, and I’m like, Lord, they don’t know what they don’t know. Both we’re going to get blown out, or we’re going to blow someone out as a result of they have been speaking. And I do know they’re hyping themselves up, however as coaches, you realize, we gotta go on the market and face Caitlin [Clark] and them. Like, they bought themselves right here, they bought momentum.
As coaches, too, we might ask one another, You ingesting the Kool-Assist? We’d actually ask one another. So, for probably the most half we have been like, Nah, we ain’t ingesting it. In direction of the top of the yr, we requested, How about now? You ingesting the Kool-Assist? I’m like, I’m sippin’. I ain’t taking an enormous gulp, however I’m sippin’. As a result of they’re placing it on show. I feel, simply general as I mirror, it was a brilliant cool journey and surroundings to be round them. They simply performed free. I informed this to a pal, I mentioned, “They performed free.”…So, I feel that was actually form of cool for them to take us coaches down their journey. It’s often, like, our journey—how we need to direct them and information them. Nah. Nah, we bought on their prepare and we rode their coattails.
SLAM: Now that you simply’ve achieved all of it—going undefeated, profitable your third chip—how does it really feel?
DS: It feels nice, like severely. It’s unbelievable to me…[The] 2022 [team] appeared the half. They appeared the half, they performed the half. They performed simply freer, however with strain. After which this group was simply in contrast to any of them. I don’t assume anyone noticed it coming. We didn’t see it coming, in order that’s what I like about it. I’m sitting [here] and I’m completely happy…I need to share our story. I need to share the great, the unhealthy, the ugly but additionally the chance of another person doing what we did—I need to give them hope, as a result of we didn’t appear like a nationwide championship crew originally of the season. We appeared like a lot of the groups within the nation, so we’re relatable to a lot of the groups. If we might do it, anyone might do it.
SLAM: Your legacy reaches far past Xs and Os, wins and losses. We might go on and on, however what do you, Daybreak Staley, need your legacy to be?
DS: I need my legacy to be an “odds beater.” I’m an odds beater. The chances mentioned that I wouldn’t be an Olympian, I wouldn’t be the top coach of an Olympic crew. To have coached 24 years on this sport, I do know that I don’t care a few private legacy. I need to let my gamers speak concerning the legacy that they have been in a position to really feel day by day from our teaching employees. I don’t must say something, they are saying it. Traditionally talking, you don’t actually hear my identify as being an incredible coach, whether or not it’s X-ing and O-ing. I’m most likely identified to be a participant’s coach, no matter which means. However to win three nationwide championships, to not be an X and O coach and solely be a participant’s coach, I feel we’re doing fairly good. If the X-ing and O-ing coaches aren’t profitable nationwide championships, I do know they’d most likely flip it and be a participant’s coach, if it produces nationwide championships. I actually don’t care about any of that, however what I do care about is our gamers, their experiences [and] their legacy, as a result of the extra of a legacy they’ve, it comes again. I simply need to do proper by our gamers.
SLAM: You’ve seen girls’s basketball skyrocket from a enterprise standpoint, beginning out of your taking part in days to what it’s in the present day. What has it been prefer to see this transformation in actual time?
DS: Ladies’s basketball is tremendous cool, now. I might say now. It was tremendous cool to me after I was rising up taking part in it and going to varsity as a result of I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Now that I do know what I find out about our sport, one, we’ve been deliberately held again. I do know that as a result of it simply doesn’t come out of nowhere. It looks like our sport has simply come out of nowhere and now all people is falling in love with it, after we know totally different. We all know that again after I was taking part in in ’88, in faculty, in ’89, folks have been watching. They’d tune in. I do know it as a result of I do know after I go to totally different locations, I’m extra identified for enjoying at Virginia than something. So, they have been watching it.
So, what occurs between then and now? Choice makers are making some actually good calls relating to our sport…They know that ladies’s basketball is a mainstay. So, the most important distinction now could be we’re being handled like an actual sport. The nice, the unhealthy and the ugly as a result of in sports activities you have got storylines, like a Caitlin Clark. In our sport you have got storylines of us being undefeated, profitable a nationwide championship. You’ve bought Juju [Watkins], Hannah [Hidalgo], MiLaysia [Fulwiley], all of those storylines which might be being performed out now as a result of the followers need an increasing number of and extra. And now, lastly, and possibly, it’s the brand new negotiated TV deal that’s permitting us to proceed to develop. Possibly there’s someone within the room that’s ensuring that we have now totally different folks telling our tales. You bought Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, Aliyah Boston, [Andraya] Carter, Carolyn Peck…I believed that complete crew broke basketball down like no different. Wasn’t biased, as a result of we gotta get the bias out of our sport. So, you noticed what occurs when it’s unbiased. It was completely stunning.
SLAM: You don’t look like the sort to chase milestones or historical past, it simply type of finds its method to you. With that being mentioned, is there something that you’ve your eyes set on earlier than you bow out of teaching?
DS: Selfishly, it’s only one factor that I needed out of this sport: I needed to be a Corridor of Famer. So, I went in [to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame] in 2013 as a participant. Now, I do need to go in as a coach.
Portraits by Diwang Valdez. Motion photographs by way of Getty Photos.