“They’re making more money than most WNBA players”: When Dawn Staley took pride in 2 South Carolina players’ lucrative NIL deals

On the "Breakfast Club" show in April 2022, South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley discussed a hot topic in college sports -- NIL. Staley talked about the experience of seeing her players earn big bucks and name-dropped Zia Cooke and Aliyah Boston, who went on to the WNBA after strong careers with the Gamecocks.

"They're making more money than most WNBA players, like the top level WNBA players," Staley said.

"But if you take a couple of players off our team at South Carolina, you know, Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke, I mean, our team makes a lot of money. They probably make more money than any other athlete on our campus, which is pretty cool that women can hold that spot."

Dawn Staley sees benefits with NIL in college sports

While NIL remains a heavy topic for some to dive into considering the disparities between teams from high-level conferences and programs lower than them, Dawn Staley highlighted plenty of benefits that come with allowing players to profit from their Name, Image and Likeness.

"I think as it grows, it feels like this off season feels more like, like a pro team, like having exit meetings. It feels like a pro team that you got to really talk about how you compartmentalize your branding and your ability to perform at a high level," she said on the same show.

"It's also, you know, a training ground for the next level, the WNBA level, you're going to have to juggle all these things. And I actually like it because, you know, life is full of everything is full of social, is full of making money, is full of, you know, your craft as a professional athlete. You're going to be able to manage all that."

Earning a lot of money as a young adult can be quite rewarding, but it also paves the way for the importance of managing finances efficiently. Dawn Staley understands this notion, which is why she believes it is important that college players know how to handle their money.