"Champ said, 'I'm [the one]'": Gamecocks HC Dawn Staley hilariously explains why she never owned more than one dog

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley graced the cover of Slam Magazine's 250th issue. Although she previously did it in 2022 with Aliyah Boston, Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke, Staley is the first coach to have a solo cover.

Joining her during the photoshoot was Dawn Staley's dog, Champ. Considered a mini-celebrity and Staley's right-hand man, Champ is often seen accompanying the coach to practice games and on walks around the USC campus. In a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot, Staley revealed that she was supposed to own more dogs.

"I was supposed to get a dog every time we won a national championship, so I should be up to three now. But Champ said, 'I'm [the one]'"

Later in the video, Dawn Staley was seen playing with Champ and he even joined her for a few photographs. The interview with Staley covered her journey as a coach and her plans for the South Carolina team.

Dawn Staley sheds light on the time she managed both playing and coaching

From 1988 to 1992, Dawn Staley played point guard for the Virginia Cavaliers. She dabbled in an international career in France and played for the American Basketball League.

After the WNBA was formed in 1997, Dawn Staley was picked ninth overall by Charlotte Sting in the 1999 WNBA draft. She played with the team until 2005 and later joined the Houston Comets for a year until 2006.

While still playing in the WNBA, Dawn Staley was the coach at Temple University in her native Philadelphia. In the same interview, the coach talked about balancing both.

"One of the most gratifying moments of my life was to be able to play and then be able to coach all at the same time. Because it played on both sides of my brain and the passion was on full display."

"If any of the younger players in the WNBA ever have the opportunity to do both, they would find that it’s so fulfilling. You’re able to get out the aggression of playing while also being a dream merchant for younger players and giving them an experience that you are actually living.

"A lot of coaches have to go back in time to that place when they were playing, but when you’re able to do it in real time, it is an automatic respect from your players because they know you’re doing the very thing that you’re asking them to do and to be disciplined at."

What do you think of Dawn Staley's views on being a player and a coach at the same time? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.