"I find myself as a coach, just like my mom”: Dawn Staley reflects on the tribute for her mother in the new book ‘Uncommon Favor'

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley has become one of the most respected coaches in college basketball. She has led the Gamecocks since 2008, helping them win three NCAA championships. On Tuesday, she released her new book, "Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three."

After the book's release, Staley started a promotional tour for it. On Friday, she appeared on the "Today Show." On the show, host Craig Melvin asked her about growing up in North Philadelphia and her mother.

"Those are my pillars," Staley said (Timestamp 0:40). "Those are my foundational traits that kind of guided me through being a player and now through being a coach. You know, when I was growing up, I didn't like my mother because she was so disciplined, she was so strict."

"Now I find myself as a coach, just like my mom. I'm so grateful because it serves as some guidance as I'm navigating to help young people to get the things that they want in life."

Over the years, Staley has done an incredible job teaching young players and helping them reach their goals. She had three former players selected in the 2025 WNBA draft: Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall and Sania Feagin.

Dawn Staley explains where she got the name for her book

After talking about North Philly and growing up with her mother, Dawn Staley was asked about the title of her book. She explained what "Uncommon Favors" are to her.

"My life, when you grow up in the projects in North Philly, you're not supposed to get out," Staley said. "You're really not supposed to have the kind of storied career that I've had. It has to be explained in some kind of way. I think God gave me uncommon favor when it comes anything that I set my mind to."

"Even through losing and failures, they were set in place for me to succeed afterward. So, if I wallowed in that failure, the success wouldn't have been as great."

The first two legs of Dawn Staley's book tour took place on Thursday in New York and on Friday in Philadelphia.

She is traveling to Columbia, South Carolina next Thursday for the final appearance on her book tour. She will participate in a moderated discussion at the R2i2 Conference Center at 6 p.m. ET.