“We would put our money together”: When $12 million worth Dawn Staley shared sweet story about “close-knit group” from her neighborhood

Dawn Staley wouldn’t be where she is today without the valuable experiences that shaped her childhood. The South Carolina coach shared a heartwarming story from her old neighborhood during an interview with Michael Gervais on his "Finding Mastery" podcast, which premiered on YouTube on Aug. 5, 2021.

Gervais opened the conversation by congratulating Staley on her accomplishments in women’s basketball. He then asked her to share some background about where she grew up and what life was like in her neighborhood.

Staley shared her experiences growing up in the Raymond Rosen housing projects in North Philadelphia and the tight bonds she developed with the people in the area.

"The dynamics of living in the projects are so great because we did not know life outside of the projects and we felt like we had everything that we needed to arm ourselves to be survivors," Staley said (Timestamp 3:42).

"We knew we were surrounded by a lot of negative, a lot of crime, but we also were protected by the people in our neighborhood that wouldn’t allow us to stray off to the wrong path."

Dawn Staley, who now has a net worth of $12 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, shared that the community was close-knit, where everyone looked out for one another, and it was in that environment that she developed a strong sense of discipline.

"We were just a close-knit group that just really took care of each other. During the summer hours, the long days, hot, we would get together. It was usually my house, all the parents went to work."

"We would put our money together and go to the store and we would cook cheese steaks for the entire neighborhood. Everybody really kind of took turns doing this. So it was a cool environment to grow up in and you learn a great foundation of discipline."

Dawn Staley remains a proud Philadelphian through her Eagles fandom

Dawn Staley has never forgotten her Philadelphia roots. The South Carolina coach was fully invested in the Philadelphia Eagles' title run this season, which culminated in their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome on Feb. 9.

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley wears Super Bowl gear to support the Philadelphia Eagles as her team prepares to take on the Texas Longhorns at the Moody Center. Photo: Imagn

Dawn Staley wasn't able to watch the game in person as the South Carolina Gamecocks played the Texas Longhorns that same day. Philadelphia's Super Bowl win proved to be a perfect tonic for South Carolina's heartbreaking loss to Texas at Moody Center.

Staley posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) after the game of her dancing in celebration while wearing a massive Eagles hat. The South Carolina coach also tweeted about Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts on championship parade day.