“We didn’t have all the luxuries”: When Dawn Staley relived team USA’s historic memories of 1996 Olympics with Lisa Leslie

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and former Los Angeles Sparks star Lisa Leslie recalled their stint with the US Olympic team that competed in the 1996 Atlanta Games.

In the first episode of Staley's podcast "NETLIFE" posted on YouTube on Jan. 14, 2022, the former Virginia guard remembered how it was back then.

The three-time women's national champion coach noted the only thing the women's basketball team looked forward to was the Olympics because the WNBA didn't begin until 1997.

"We didn't really have television. We didn't really have all the the luxuries of what some of these young players out here have," Staley said (7:07). "They had a carrot dangle in front of them with the WNBA and we just had the Olympics."

Leslie, who played 12 seasons with the L.A. Sparks and four seasons with the USC Trojans, pointed to the tenacity and passion of the previous iterations of Team USA as something that binds the squad together despite the diverse backgrounds.

"Tenacity also I think passion like all those things that are very cliche but that's what we had," Leslie said (7:17).

Leslie pointed out the 1996 team had the best chemistry and sacrificed a lot for the sake of the team. The whole squad knew how to make their teammates better by passing for the best shot available and the teamwork was there.

"Our passion was there in our heart and our fight that no matter which generation you look at we're right up there at the top," she said (9:30)

The 1996 USA Women's Basketball Team went 5-0 in the group stage, beating Cuba, Ukraine, Zaire, Australia and South Korea, to qualify to the knockout rounds. They beat Japan in the quarterfinals, Australia in the semifinals and demolished Brazil in the final to take home the gold medal.

Aside from Staley and Leslie, the squad had Jennifer Azzi, Ruthie Bolton-Holifield, Teresa Edwards, Venus Lacy, Rebecca Lobo, Katrina McClain, Nikki McCray, Carla McGhee, Katy Steding and Sheryl Swoopes.

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South Carolina coach Dawn Staley says team to rally around injured Ashlyn Watkins

Dawn Staley said the Gamecocks will support injured player Ashlyn Watkins' recovery from her torn ACL she sustained in the team's last game against Mississippi State on Sunday.

“I know her sisters will rally around her injury, and (I) know she will be sorely missed. But I know Ashlyn will want us to go on and compete and try to win another national championship,” Staley said (per On3).

Before the injury, the junior forward was having a strong 2024-25 women's college basketball season, averaging 7.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

Staley might go deep in her bench to find a worthy replacement for Watkins. There is also a possibility that recovering players Maddy McDaniel and Sakima Walker might platoon to fill up Watkins' workload in the remainder of the season.

McDaniel (concussion) and Walker (ankle) were seen practicing on Tuesday. The three-time national champion coach hopes the two players will get cleared soon to provide South Carolina the firepower it needs to defend the national title.

The Gamecocks (14-1, 2-0 in SEC) are set to face Texas A&M (8-6, 1-1 in SEC) on Thursday at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.