"You better have me up in there": Dawn Staley jokes about potential Charlotte Sting jersey retirement

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley joked about the possibility of having her jersey retired by the Charlotte Sting if it returns to the WNBA after an almost two-decade absence. Staley, who played for the Sting from 1999-2005 before she was traded to the Houston Comets in the middle of the 2005 season, was asked about the possibility during the team's media availability session on Wednesday.

The three-time champion coach felt that she didn't think she deserved to have her jersey hung in the Sting's rafters if they would return to the WNBA and hold an event to honor the team's former stars. However, when she was told she was included in the video highlights alongside former teammate Allison Feaster, she playfully commented that it was a smart move for the new bidders to put her in there.

"I'm right here in Columbia. You want to cater to our fan base, you better have me up in there if you want that franchise," Staley said (08:07 onwards). "We're bringing thousands of season tickets."

Dawn Staley played for Sting between 1999 and 2005 and guided the team to four playoff appearances in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Playing mainly as a playmaker, she averaged 8.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 219 games with Charlotte.

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Hornets owners address Dawn Staley's endorsement, support bid to revive Charlotte Sting franchise

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said in November last year that Charlotte is an ideal spot for professional women's basketball, having played for the original Sting franchise for six-and-a-half seasons.

"I think this is a prime spot for a WNBA team, for a Final Four — anything that women are doing," Staley said per SI.com. "You see the city, they just embrace the game."

Looks like the Charlotte Hornets ownership, led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, heard of Dawn Staley's endorsement and expressed their support to the Berman family, who is applying for a franchise to become the 14th team in the WNBA.

The group submitted a formal application to revive the squad that was among the founding WNBA franchises in 1997 and a former WNBA finalist in 2001. They are positive the bid would get approved citing the passionate fanbase and its well-decorated history.

"Hornets Sports & Entertainment believes strongly in the future growth of women's basketball and the WNBA," the statement read. "The Charlotte Sting have a storied history and a passionate fanbase within our community. We are proud to back the Berman family and be a part of this larger group that is bidding to bring the WNBA back to Charlotte."

The 2025 WNBA season will welcome the Golden State Valkyries as the 13th team in the growing league that was helped by the rising popularity of women's basketball due to the emergence of Iowa Hawkeyes legend Caitlin Clark, who is now playing for the Indiana Fever, LSU and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, and South Carolina and Las Vegas star A'ja Wilson, among others.