By her own admission, Dawn Staley is somewhat uncomfortable with the sheer magnitude of her own legacy, at least publicly.
"I seem to have an internal conflict with receiving recognition for my blessings," said Staley during her 2013 induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In her induction speech, she chose to deflect her accolades on to the formative people and places in her life. She refers back to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, where she was chosen as flag-bearer for the United States. As Staley describes, with every block she carried the flag, she focused on a singular place that had played a role in defining her career. It was all she could do to keep moving.
In Philadelphia, her hometown, she gained an identity and a requirement for competition. At the University of Virginia she lead the Cavaliers to three Final Four appearances, but under the guidance of legendary coach Debbie Ryan, gained an opportunity to possess a broader view of the world. Playing for the WNBA's Charlotte Sting, she launched a Hall of Fame professional career, and along with generational talents like Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes, helped popularize the new league in its infancy. She became one of the faces of USA Basketball with five gold medals, winning three as a player.
Staley is rare in that her extreme humility actually enhances her persona. By casting her accolades and stardom on to others, she actually draws us closer to her transcendent greatness. It's almost irresistible. Everywhere she has left her mark, she has left behind people clamoring to claim a stake in her legacy.
Charlotte literally named a day after her. Pat McCrory, North Carolina governor and former mayor of Charlotte, proclaimed July 24th, 2004 as "Dawn Staley Olympian Day".
Staley famously turned Temple's former Director of Athletics, Dave O'Brien, down three times before he convinced her to return to her hometown to embark on her coaching career.
So what stake does the University of South Carolina hold in Staley'slegend?
It's tough to find a tangible answer to that question. In a way, it's kind of like finding the perfect gift for the person who seemingly has everything.
Staley rebuilt South Carolina's women's basketball program from the ground up, winning three SEC regular-season championships. During her tenure the team has twice led the country in home attendance.
But Staley already got the opportunity to rebuild a program. She did that at Temple, helping the program secure its first national ranking in 2002, while amassing a .683 winning percentage.
So if South Carolina wants a claim in the Staley-legacy, they are going to have to help her achieve the one thing she has yet to accomplish as a coach: a National Championship.
That responsibility can't solely rest on Staley. It resides with the players, the administration and even the fans.
South Carolina has benefited from juggernaut of a program that Staley has constructed. Along with Notre Dame, Connecticut and Baylor, the Gamecocks are one of a handful of teams that have exerted complete domination of the sport for the last half-decade. Still, if South Carolina wants to claim her as our own, there is really only one thing we can give her.