“I really wanted A’ja Wilson to be the only statue”: Dawn Staley reiterates her wish after special honor for South Carolina HC

Dawn Staley has seen plenty of honors and accolades. But one of the more unusual has to be the recent unveiling of a statue of Staley in Columbia, South Carolina. Poised atop a ladder, a bronzing of the three-time title winner now graces the state's capitol city, as well as the location of the University of South Carolina.

But what's it like to be immortalized in statuary? Late-night TV host Stephen Colbert asked Staley about it, and her response, not suprisingly, was to deflect immortality in favor of one of her own players, albeit one also depicted in Columbia on a statue.

Staley's Statue? She'd defer to A'ja WIlson

"It's pretty cool. I really wanted A'ja [Wilson] to be the only statue in our city, in our state, only because I think she's deserving. She's a local star. Then when they told me how many women are actually bestowed that particular honor, which is 6 percent in the world, I had to do it for other women. Getting a statue is kind of frightening, because you don't know what the finished product is going to look like."-- Dawn Staley

Staley's comment is a bit unclear, but of all established statutary, the vast majority features male subjects. A recent study by a Wisconsin based art history professor produced the statistic that only six percent of statutes in the United States are of female subjects. A 2021 New York Times article estimates Britain's female non-royal share of public monuments at just three percent female.

Staley's busy bookish off-season

Not only has the statute of Staley been unveiled, but her off-season is now dedicated to promoting her just-released memoir, Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned From All Three. In releasing her life story, Staley joins a select group of women's basketball coaches including Geno Auriemma and the late Pat Summit.

Staley's book released on May 20th, and it apparently chronicles her growth from a playground hoops player in North Philadelphia through her playing days at the University of Virginia, where she reached four FInal Fours. From there, Staley played in the WNBA and simultaneous began coaching at Temple University.

But it is in her days at South Carolina that Staley has become the type of icon who is featured on statuary. Staley led the Gamecocks to the program's first FInal Four and has returned for six more, including NCAA titles in 2017, 2022 and 2024. Her story is certainly one worthy of a book... and apparently also, of a statute.

What do you think of Staley's statute and her thoughts? Share your take below in our comments section!