National champ Dawn Staley shares courtside snaps with legends Julius Erving and Allen Iverson

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has been making the most of the off-season. Staley was seen at high school basketball games, looking for the next championship-winning recruits and now at an NBA game.

The coach also dropped by the Wells Fargo Center for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference playoffs series between the 76ers and New York Knicks on Sunday. The Sixers Instagram handle shared a picture of coach Dawn Staley with NBA legends Allen Iverson and Julius Erving, with the caption:

“Philly royalty.”

Before the game tipped off, Dawn Staley, wearing an Allen Iverson T-shirt, rang the bell.

For Game 3 on April 22, Staley expressed her support for the team online. However, the Sixers lost the game and a saddened Staley tweeted:

Dawn Staley and her unstoppable love for Philadelphia

The Philadelphia-born and-raised Staley has always been vocal about her support for all Philly-based teams.

While Dawn Staley may have moved to South Carolina in 2008, her love and support for the teams, especially the 76ers and Eagles, never stopped. She has sported the Philadelphia Eagles jersey to her team’s games and practice sessions before.

The football team’s quarterback, Jalen Hurts, reciprocated the love and was in attendance at Gamecocks’ March Madness final against Iowa Hawkeyes.

It was here that Jalen Hurts shared that his connection with the coach goes beyond the city. During his appearance on the Bird and Taurasi Show, he was asked about his relationship with Staley and how it started.

He explained it was through her cousin, Duce Staley, who coached Hurts in Philadelphia during his NFL rookie season in 2020.

“I kind of got connected that way,” Hurts said. “Then she was doing her thing here (at South Carolina). I’ve done community work at the Hank Gathers Community Center (in North Philadelphia) where she grew up in Philly so it is definitely deep ties there.” (via Greenville online).

“But I just love great coaching. I love and respect how she goes about it, the leader she is, the competitor she is, how she’s able to relate and she’s just special. She’s special.”

Her love for the city is immense. After her first NCAA title win with the Gamecocks in 2017, Staley said,

“I’m proud of being from Philadelphia. I’ll tell anyone at any time that’s where I’m from. Philly people are confident. Philly people are blue-collar workers. Philly people are passionate about their sports. They are passionate about their city. They are passionate about things that are their lifestyle.” (via Andscape)

From 2000-2008, Staley coached at Temple University in Philadelphia. She was named Philadelphia’s “Best College Coach” in Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best of Philly” edition.