Over nearly two decades, Dawn Staley has turned South Carolina into a powerhouse, stacking titles and Coach of the Year honors along the way. But what separates her is her ability to connect with players, something Raven Johnson recently shed light on.

Just hours after South Carolina’s dominant 94–68 win over Oklahoma, I am Next shared an exclusive clip on X featuring Johnson appreciated Staley's one-of-a-kind bonding with the Gamecocks girls.

In answer to what made Staley stand out, Johnson said, "She's like a mother figure. She’s like a mother figure, her name name speaks for itself, what she’s done as a PLAYER & COACH. She’s a role model for everyone."

Following her overall opinion about the Gamecocks HC, Johnson also described her personal experiences which made her appreciate Staley.

The point guard said, "I used to just laugh with her. She used to ask me questions about my life. I used to be like, this lady is asking me about life, not basketball. Yeah. So that made me think of her like," she added.

She continued, "If I'm going to commit to a school, I need to be comfortable with that coach. I need to be comfortable to go to her about things that's not basketball. So I think that stood out to me."

Moreover, it's not only Johnson who sees Staley that way...

For those who don’t know, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was named one of the most admired leaders in sports by The Athletic earlier this year, ranking No. 2 in a survey of 116 people.

"Her name speaks for itself," Johnson added. "I mean, what she's done for a woman's basketball, what she's playing and as a coach. So she's a role model for everybody."

Talking about Staley off the court, Johnson said, "I feel like people don't really know the real her. But I know the real her. She's goofy. She says some crazy stuff... It's like she starts it and then I just finish it. And it's just, I don't know, like coach, she's like this grown up in a kid body."

And while Johnson clearly values that bond, Dawn Staley made sure to show the same love right back on the biggest stage.

Dawn Staley Shows Love to Raven Johnson on Sweet 16 Stage

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley arrived at Golden 1 Center in style, wearing a Gucci jacket over a T-shirt featuring her starting point guard, Raven Johnson.

The custom T-shirt was created by Playa Society, a women’s sports clothing brand, and went on sale March 20. Just days later, Staley was wearing it on the sidelines as the No. 1 seed Gamecocks beat No. 4 seed Oklahoma 94–68 in the Sweet 16.

"I see my beautiful self," Johnson said when asked about it. "I'm happy she's wearing my shirt. I mean, she has a beautiful person on her chest."

Assistant coach Khadijah Sessions and forward Adhel Tac, who was out with an injury, were also seen wearing the shirts.

So, do you think Dawn Staley’s player-first approach is the biggest reason behind South Carolina’s sustained dominance?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Souvik Roy