"It's going to hurt, it's going to be uncomfortable": When Dawn Staley revealed the hard truth about having WNBA or Olympics dreams

Before her NCAA coaching career, Dawn Staley played for the WNBA and Team USA. She also had an assistant coaching and head coaching stint with the national program, spanning from 2006 to 2020 and earning 11 gold medals. Her player development and conditioning programs also saw her produce 16 WNBA talents out of the South Carolina Gamecocks.

In the Players' Tribune's "The Secret," Staley revealed the secrets to what it takes for aspiring athletes to make the leap to bigger stages. She also gives insight into her approach to cultivating their talents for the WNBA and Olympics.

"At the collegiate level, there are many things the players need to learn, and they can’t learn everything at once," Staley wrote. "...It starts with instilling the discipline to work hard and to find balance...Everybody wants to be an Olympian, but not everyone is willing to put the work in every day. Everybody wants to graduate, but they don’t want to do their homework."

"I have to make these players believe that my vision is good for them. It’s going to hurt, it’s going to be uncomfortable, but it’s good for you. Everybody gets the same treatment — whether they have WNBA potential or not. We focus on their mental development as well as physical. Basketball IQ. Conditioning. Court vision. Fundamentals. Decision-making. We push them to push themselves."

Defending championship coach Dawn Staley believes that having a relationship with her players is the biggest factor in creating a successful unit, prompting her to empower her players off the court. She encourages conversations about their personal lives and future, which allows her to connect her players with suitable mentors across different fields.

Dawn Staley's schedule aims to help athletes balance hooping and studies

In one of the toughest schedules in Division I, the South Carolina Gamecocks have played only three home games across the first nine contests. They have also played four ranked programs and four neutral venue games, forcing them to bring their best game every day.

So, when Dawn Staley was asked about her team’s preparedness and conditioning on Wednesday, she shed light on her approach to create a balance of studies and basketball.

"It's just basketball, nothing better to be doing during this time," Staley said. "There's nothing like that. There shouldn't be anything competing for their time but books. So, it's pretty easy when it's that clear-cut. There's books and basketball, 'cause our schedule lends itself to only to be able to concentrate on that." (1:00)

Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks have only lost one game since the 2023 NCAA Tournament and are 8-1 in the 2024-25 season. They will face the No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.