“She gives me her darkest moments”: Dawn Staley reflects on bond with “world’s best player” A’ja Wilson

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley has produced some of the best players in women's basketball history, like Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson, who with Staley, won the Gamecocks their first national championship in 2018, with Wilson bringing home the MOP award.

Although the 28-year-old has moved on to the professional ranks, the relationship she has with Staley is evidently still a tight-knit one. On Thursday, Staley, on The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM, shed light on something special about their relationship that most don't know:

"She gives me her darkest moments, like her darkest, like you see an incredibly, like gifted, I think she's the best player in the world, right? She's the best player in the world. I mean she has doubts at times like whether she's going to perform at this level, and she gives me that, and I, you know, I'm like pressure, yes, a lot of pressure," Staley explained (20:22).

Dawn Staley mentioned her experience playing with women's basketball legend Lisa Leslie as the basis for how she treats Wilson.

"I've had experience with it because I played with the best player in the world during my day, Lisa Leslie; same conversations I had with Lisa. Like okay it's time for you to be the best player in the world, like come championship time, come gold medal time," Staley said (20:48).

"I'm used to giving them, I'm used to pumping them up and at the end of the conversation, thank you coach. I mean and it's not much, It's just, boom, be done with it," she concluded.

Wilson is entering her eighth season in the WNBA with career averages of 21.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.9 blocks per contest.

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Being the youngest of five, Dawn Staley says that it helped her become a better communicator

In her aforementioned interview, Dawn Staley was asked about her upbringing and how she can effectively communicate with players like A'ja Wilson despite being from an earlier generation. The tenured tactician mentioned how being the youngest of five children in her family helped her.

"When you're the youngest of five, you don't really get a say. I grew up in a household that I'm the youngest like nobody gave me any credit. I couldn't speak. ... So, I was quiet, observant, listened, really formed discernment during those times. And then, you grow, like you really grow," Staley said. (21:50)

Dawn Staley detailed how her experiences in college changed her perception and made her stand up more for herself. She has led the South Carolina Gamecocks to a 35-4 overall record, 15-1 during SEC play this year.