"I know their dogs are hurting": Dawn Staley gives a shoutout to $3.38 billion worth Under Armour amid South Carolina practice squad's NIL Deal

Using the momentum they gained from Sunday, coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks are preparing to face the Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday. The defending national champions recently defeated the Auburn Tigers on Feb. 2 with an 83-66 drubbing, which was also held subsequent to now WNBA All-Star A'ja Wilson's No. 22 jersey being retired into the Colonial Life Arena rafters.

But, with all the success the second-ranked squad in the nation has been getting, their practice squad is what helps them get better behind the scenes. The "Highlighters" are Staley's all-male practice team that trains with her Gamecocks, where they have provided great service to Staley and Co. while being known to wear loud and bold colored shirts.

With this, Staley was able to help land them their first NIL deal, securing specially made gifts from recovery footwear brand Oofos. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Gamecocks social media team uploaded a video to showcase the Highlighters' receiving their care packages, which include a custom-made pair of slides with the program logos.

South Carolina is backed up by renowned sportswear brand Under Armour, which is valued at $3.38 billion as per Forbes. Despite getting an NIL deal with another company for their practice squad, Staley assures that all is well with the Maryland-based brand and even gives them a shoutout during her pre-Georgia game media availability earlier on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

"A lot of companies don't have recovery shoes, so we don't want to mess with the competition when it comes to Under Armour, 'cause we are an Under Armour school. Recovery shoes are pretty cool. They do enough for us that I know their dogs are hurting sometimes," she said (at 2:10).

With a newly minted deal in place that does not bump heads with the program's primary source of apparel and footwear, the Highlighters may seem more motivated to help Staley and the Gamecocks repeat as national champions moving forward.

Dawn Staley speaks on why the Highlighters deserve the NIL deal

During the presser, Dawn Staley lauded her practice squad for their dedication to not only help the South Carolina Gamecocks improve but also to grow the women's game as a whole. The 54-year-old said that she is just looking for other ways to give back to them, sharing:

"They sacrifice so much, they work so hard. They come in here, part of it is they love basketball. They other part of it is, they know they're helping us. I try to come up with just innovative gifts, Christmas gifts I give them. I got partnerships with different people." (1:30)

Currently on a dominating 16-game overall win streak, the Gamecocks, with the help of the Highlighters, will aim to stay unblemished in the 2025 SEC (9-0) when they match up against the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday, Feb. 5, on the road.