When $12M worth Dawn Staley blamed “decision makers” of holding women’s basketball back: “They don’t think they'd get return on their investment”

Three-time national champion coach Dawn Staley has been a vocal advocate of promoting women's basketball. She was part of the WNBA's formative years and is a four-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA both as a player and as a coach.

As a college basketball coach with South Carolina, Staley, who is worth $12 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), continued that advocacy and is now seeing women's basketball transform as a big marketing machine, even eclipsing its male counterparts.

In an interview with CNBC in April, weeks after the Gamecocks won their third women's college basketball national championship by beating the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes, Staley pointed out that the sport is "busting through the seams" now after it was being held.

When asked what was holding it back so far, Staley said (1:06):

"I do think the decision-makers have held our sport back to the point of — maybe because they don't think they would get return on their investment. I think now is the time in which they're seeing there's a return on your investment when you pour into our game."

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Dawn Staley appreciates freshman Joyce Edwards for stepping up in place of injured forward Ashlyn Watkins

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley gave flowers to five-star freshman Joyce Edwards for stepping up for the team in place of erstwhile starting forward Ashlyn Watkins.

In the Gamecock's first game after learning Watkins would be out for the season due to an ACL tear in her left knee, Edwards came off the bench to come up with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the No. 2-ranked South Carolina to a 90-49 win over Texas A&M on Thursday at the Colonial Life Arena

The 6-foot-2 forward shot 8-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line in 22 minutes for the Gamecocks, who improved to 3-0 in the SEC and 15-1 overall.

In a post-game interview, Dawn Staley thanked Edwards for personally elevating her level of play following Watkins' season-ending injury.

"I think Joyce feels the absence of Ashlyn (Watkins) and although I didn't say give us more, she's taken it upon herself to give more, to do more, and to prepare herself for moments like these," the three-time champion coach said (per On3).

The Gamecocks return to action on Sunday against No. 5-ranked Texas also at the Colonial Life Arena. The Longhorns are coming off an 84-40 win over No. 18 Alabama on Thursday to improve to 16-1 (3-0 in SEC).