Disabled Girl Asks Dawn Staley If She Believes In Jesus Christ, Her Answer Will Shock You
Legendary basketball coach Dawn Staley was asked a deeply personal question by a young disabled fan at a community event. The girl, with genuine curiosity, asked the South Carolina Gamecocks head coach, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ?”
Staley, who is widely respected not only for her basketball success but also for her leadership and mentorship off the court, took a moment before answering. With sincerity and grace, she responded, “Yes, I do. My faith is very important to me. It guides me in everything I do — in how I coach, how I interact with people, and how I live my life.”
Her answer was met with a warm round of applause, as many in the crowd were moved by her openness and the depth of her belief. For Staley, who has faced immense pressure and expectations throughout her career, this simple but powerful affirmation of faith gave fans a glimpse into the values that shape her both on and off the court.
The moment quickly gained attention on social media, with fans praising Staley’s willingness to share her personal beliefs and the impact of such a candid exchange with a young fan. It was a reminder that, even at the pinnacle of success, athletes like Dawn Staley remain grounded by the values that matter most to them.
For the young girl who asked the question, it was a powerful experience she would carry with her — not just meeting a basketball icon, but sharing a moment of genuine connection over something much deeper than the game.
Dawn Staley credits Joyce Edwards’ decision to ‘give more’ after Ashlyn Watkins injury
COLUMBIA — Roughly 24 hours after coach Dawn Staley said only time will tell how South Carolina women’s basketball reacts to not having Ashlyn Watkins, the Gamecocks defeated Texas A&M 90-49.
The No. 2 Gamecocks (15-1, 3-0 SEC) weren’t without a starter on Thursday but without Watkins, who is done for the season after tearing her ACL, freshman forward Joyce Edwards didn’t miss a beat.
Edwards has been averaging 10 points but on Thursday she had 19 points and 10 rebounds for her second double double of the season.
“I think Joyce has probably personally elevated her game,” Staley said. “Her practices, there’s a little more oomph to them, she plays that way regardless but I think Joyce feels the absence of Ashlyn 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.”
Edwards was hard to guard, as she was both relentless on the glass but also fairly accurate on her own shots. She finished 8-of-10 from the field and brought down four offensive rebounds.
With 1:41 left in the third quarter, Edwards’ initial shot rimmed out, but she got the rebound, powered through two defenders and scored on the putback through contact for a three-point play.
To close the first quarter, she caught the ball with her back to the basket with 3.7 seconds on the clock and dribbled, turned then put up a one-handed hook shot that rolled in at the buzzer.
Edwards’ ability to score from anywhere inside the arc opens up scoring opportunities for other teammates as well, given that defenders will double-team her.
“It’s one of the reasons why I came to South Carolina, it’s hard to guard all 13 of us,” Edwards said.
Dawn Staley has ‘no doubt’ players will step up with Ashlyn Watkins done for the year
Dawn Staley has ‘no doubt’ players will step up with Ashlyn Watkins done for the year
University of South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins (2) stands with the huddle after practice on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2024. Watkins is out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL.
Tracy Glantz/[email protected]
Filling an Ashlyn Watkins-sized hole in South Carolina’s rotation won’t be easy, but that’s the reality for Dawn Staley and her staff going forward.
South Carolina on Tuesday announced Watkins will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season after she suffered a torn ACL during the game against Mississippi State on Sunday.
Watkins is an impact player on both sides of the ball when healthy. She averaged 7.2 points per game, was second on the team in rebounding (6.4 per game) and was No. 4 in the SEC with an average of 1.86 blocks through 14 games.
South Carolina has seven players listed as a forward or center on their roster. That number drops down to six with Watkins out for the year. It drops again to five with Sakima Walker’s absence. The veteran center has been out since late November but Staley said during the “Carolina Calls” radio show on Tuesday that she’s been “ramping up” in practice and a return is “hopefully soon”.
Walker was seen at practice Wednesday on a stationary bike and looked to be participating in practice. If Walker is out for at least Thursday’s home match-up with Texas A&M, South Carolina will be rolling into the game with five post players: Kitts, Feagin, Edwards, Maryam Dauda and Adhel Tac.
“It’s the next woman up,” Staley said during the “Carolina Calls” radio on Tuesday. “I mean, we’ve had three players in Maryam, and Sakima and Adhel that have been at the end of that bench. Not playing very much in the game, but in practices, they have been increasing their production and we look forward to inserting them into the lineup.”
Kitts and Feagin have started every game they’ve played in this year, while Edwards is averaging nearly 20 minutes a game off the bench — leaving Watkins’ 18 minutes per game up for grabs.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Staley emphasized that South Carolina has a “next woman up” mentality and the rotation will likely be solved with patience over the next few games.
“If that next woman up isn’t it ready right now, we’ll continue to get in here in practices to try to expedite that,” Staley said. “And then in the games, we might need to try something different. Might need to play small ball. The last time that we lost a big such as Ashlyn, we played small ball and it worked out for us. And we might have to pull that rabbit out our hat.”.
Watkins missed South Carolina’s season opener against Michigan in November, as well as the two exhibition games against Memphis and Clayton State before it. In those games, Edwards actually averaged the most minutes played with 24:19 per game. She was followed by Kitts (22:09) and Feagin (12:40).
Dauda isn’t a stranger to SEC play. The Arkansas transfer played in 68 games with the Razorbacks the past two seasons and logged 33 starts last year.
This year she’s playing just six minutes per game, though she did average 12:40 minutes in the three that Watkins missed. Her playing time peaked during that stretch in the exhibition game against Clayton State. Dauda saw just under 20 minutes of action in that match up, scoring 10 points and nabbing eight rebounds in the process.
“I think Maryam is the wild card,” Staley said Wednesday, “because she’s got a great skill set offensively. She rebounds the basketball, she’s unafraid, she’s got toughness. She just has to put it all together and be confident in doing it. And once she gets confident, I think she’ll be able to help us.”
Tac hasn’t seen the floor much this season and has yet to play more than 10 minutes in a game, excluding the exhibition against Clayton State where she played 12:42. That being said, with some space in the rotation maybe she’ll be able to make the most of her playing time like she did against Missouri last week. Against the Tigers, Tac tallied nine points and five rebounds in five minutes of action.
“Adhel’s been ramping up, doing pretty good — and Sakima,” Staley said on “Carolina Calls.” “I have no doubt. I have no doubt that they’ll step up. I have no doubt that everyone will step up and get a little bit more of what Ashlyn – the void that Ashlyn leaves.”
Watkins’ defensive presence will be surely missed by the Gamecocks. The 6-foot-3 veteran is among the nation’s best shot blockers. Beyond her, South Carolina has just two players with more than 10 blocks this season: Feagin and 5-foot-10 point guard MiLaysia Fulwiley.
South Carolina may lack other true shot blockers on the roster, but the Gamecocks do have others who can deter shots in Walker, Tac and Dauda, Staley said.
