"Just say it and let me cry on the inside": When Dawn Staley braced herself as Aliyah Boston called her in tears after rejecting Geno Auriemma's UConn

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has cut a niche for herself as a master recruiter in college basketball. One of the best prospects that she has ever recruited was Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston, who was a five-star prospect and the No. 1-ranked prospect in the class of 2019.

Boston was heavily recruited by elite schools like Notre Dame, Ohio State and even the legendary Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies, but she settled for Staley and the Gamecocks.

During a 2022 interview with "The Athletic," Staley revealed how Boston called her while in tears to tell her the news of her commitment.

“Usually when they’re crying, it’s just like, ‘OK. Just get it out,’” Dawn Staley said. “‘Just say it and let me cry on the inside.'

“She was just like, ‘I just want to tell you that I picked a school. And I chose the University of South Carolina.’ I mean, she says the whole (university’s) name. I’m like, ‘What? Like, seriously.’ And she was crying, and her mother actually had to take over.”

Aliyah Boston and Dawn Staley made history for USC

Aliyah Boston and Dawn Staley had a productive relationship in Columbia and in 2022, they won the national championship in dominant fashion. Boston was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and won the Naismith National Player of the Year, while Staley won the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year.

Even after parting ways, Boston and Staley have continued to share a close relationship, and during a January segment of the "In Case You Missed It" podcast, she paid her former coach the ultimate compliment.

"No one else deserves to have that type of recognition, she is just so amazing," Boston said. "I feel like I've said this so many times, that Coach Staley is like a second mom to me.

"It just goes to show the confidence that she instills in you from such a young age. Like, she is not waiting for senior year or junior year... she's like I know you have the voice, I know you have the confidence. You just have to be able to step into that role and embrace it."

In 2023, Aliyah Boston, who left several records at USC, declared for the 2023 WNBA Draft despite having an extra year of eligibility left. She was picked No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever and has established herself as one of the best players in the league.

She continues to support her alma mater while fostering her relationship with Dawn Staley, which was solidified when she chose the Gamecocks coach over other elite sides.