"We were the doormats of the SEC": When Dawn Staley shared a heartfelt speech following first conference title with SC Gamecocks

Dawn Staley took over as coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team in 2008. At the time, the program was far from the national powerhouse it is today.

However, throughout 18 seasons, Dawn Staley slowly but surely transformed the Gamecocks into one of the most dominant teams in college basketball, amassing 21 titles across various competitions, including NCAA championships and SEC titles.

However, this incredible run did not begin overnight. For the first five seasons with Staley in charge, the Gamecocks could not bring home any titles. However, their success story began in 2014, when Staley led the Gamecocks to their first SEC regular season title. That breakthrough marked a turning point and laid the foundation for all the dominance that would follow.

Looking back, the celebration that followed that victory wasn't just about a championship; it was about rewriting the program's story. A video shared on the Gamecocks' YouTube channel on February 28, 2014, just one day after their 67-56 win over Georgia, captured the emotion and significance of that moment.

In the clip, Dawn Staley stood before her players and fans in a packed Colonial Life Arena and delivered a passionate, heartfelt speech.

"Six years ago, we were the doormats of the SEC," Staley said (Timestamp: 1:06). "So what we did was, we recruited this entire state, and we got the best kids in South Carolina to stay home. And then, we still didn't know what it would look like.

"Basketball has a certain look, it has a certain feel, it has a certain sound, and you guys right here at Colonial Life Arena gave us all those elements. And you pushed us towards this championship, so give yourselves a round of applause."

That season, the Gamecocks finished with a 29-5 record and went 14-2 in the SEC. From that point on, they never looked back. They have claimed an SEC title every single year since then, except for the 2018-19 season, when they came second in the SEC and also lost the conference tournament.

Dawn Staley set to stay at South Carolina despite reported interest from NBA's New York Knicks

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley recently drew interest from the New York Knicks as they searched for a new coach. Reports say the Knicks reached out to Staley, along with several other candidates, including former Knicks guard Mike Brown, ex-Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, Pelicans assistant James Borrego and Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori.

However, Staley decided to stay at South Carolina. Had the move gone through, she would have made history as the first female head coach in the NBA.

This isn't the first time an NBA team expressed interest. In 2021, the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly reached out, but she chose to remain with the Gamecocks.