Dawn Staley gives South Carolina players a rough reality check on the "fight" of "doing the job" and "getting paid less" after big contract extension

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley is a leading figure in college basketball today, thanks to her remarkable career. She is one of the few active coaches to have won a national title three times and has produced WNBA stars like A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston.

Due to her efforts, Staley has earned the highest salary among college women's basketball coaches, with her recent contract extension set to pay her up to $25.25 million by the 2029-2030 season. This will allow her to support her loved ones and continue developing future generations of women's basketball players.

During pre-game interviews before their SEC game against the Oklahoma Sooners, the 17-year Gamecocks coach encouraged her players, who have been jokingly asking if they could borrow money, to make the necessary sacrifices to eventually earn high salaries like hers.

"There's going to be a time in their lives where they're going to feel like they're doing a job and they're getting paid less. How to handle those instances, it is a fight no matter what. It's a fight to explain to people what your worth is. You have to do some comparisons with coaches here and with coaches in other spaces," Staley explained (7:00).

"It's negotiations. Our negotiations as women are probably different cause we're valued a little bit different. But, I think when it's all said and done, it is the same things you apply to this game. It's the same persistence (and) perseverance," she added.

Staley's career as both a player and coach has been incredibly successful. Her wisdom is invaluable to her players, offering principles that could benefit them greatly. With South Carolina still unbeaten in the conference (5-0) and poised to repeat as national champions, her guidance is more important than ever.

Dawn Staley compares contract negotiations to basketball

Dawn Staley during her playing days at Virginia. - Source: Darr Belser, Imagn

For Dawn Staley, negotiating contracts is like a basketball game, with both parties experiencing highs and lows. Nevertheless, the former Virginia Cavaliers guard believes her new contract extension will far outweigh any drawbacks with its numerous benefits.

"Negotiations are really a game. You get one up, I get one up. It just keeps going back and forth. It took a while for it to happen, a long time. Fortunately, we got to this great place that will make me look good but, will make our university (and) athletics department look great in the grand scheme of things," Staley said (8:35).

Hopefully, Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks will secure more wins, potentially adding another national title to their achievements by March. They aim to continue their current 12-game overall winning streak when they host the Oklahoma Sooners on their home floor on Sunday.