"I was too short ... You had to suck it up": When Dawn Staley revealed the harsh reality check from Olympics Team USA rejection despite POTY win

Dawn Staley enjoyed a successful college basketball career as a player long before foraying into coaching. As part of the Virginia Cavaliers, Staley was one of the top guards in the nation, leading them to the NCAA Tournament final in her junior year and Final Four appearances in three of her four seasons.

Staley was also named the National Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons, in 1991 and 1992. A solid resume like hers would warrant an automatic spot in Team USA for the women's basketball event at the Olympics. However, this was not the case for Staley.

During an appearance alongside A'ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier on the 'Tea With A & Phee' podcast in October 2021, Staley said her trial went well before learning that she was cut from the 1992 Olympics team.

The former 5-foot-6 guard then revealed why she got cut from the team and how that event gave her a brutal reality check when it came to her Olympic dream.

"Two of the reasons why they said I didn't make the team was, one I was too short, and then two, I didn't have any international experience," said Staley. "I couldn't do anything about my height, so I went overseas and sucked that up, and said that if I'm ever in that position again, I'm going to the Olympics." (13:46)

Dawn Staley further expanded on how her experience overseas taught her a valuable life lesson in her quest to make the Olympics.

"So I got cut, got myself together. Now most people, that's a crossroad. There wasn't a WNBA. You had to go suck it up and go overseas and play. Y'all have access to the internet. I had $2,000 phone bills because I was missing home.

"But, I just learned a valuable lesson that you have to do what you don't want to do to get what you want." (14:09)

Dawn Staley enjoyed immense success with Team USA

After gaining experience overseas, Dawn Staley finally made the cut for Team USA for the 1996 Olympics. She was a key part of the team, winning three consecutive gold medals in the women's basketball event.

In fact, she was selected to be the flag bearer for the United States in the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympics. She was also named the 2004 Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

As a coach, Staley led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, following which she stepped down as the team's head coach. She then added more silverware at South Carolina, leading the Gamecocks to two national championships in the space of three years.