South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and Gamecock great A’ja Wilson both now have statues of their likenesses in Columbia.

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and Gamecock great A’ja Wilson both now have statues of their likenesses in Columbia.

 

During Staley’s remarks at the unveiling of her own statue, she took time to defend Wilson’s statue in light of an opposing coach’s recent remarks.

 

During UConn’s national championship victory celebration, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said: “Most other places, if you win one national championship, they build a statue to you outside the building. Here, they won’t even let you get to the front of the bus.”

 

Staley said she initially didn’t want a statue erected in her honor. She believed Wilson’s statue, unveiled in January 2021, should “be the only one ever” before she was convinced by USC and city of Columbia leadership to accept the honor.

 

After sharing that anecdote, South Carolina’s coach appeared to fire back at Auriemma in defense of Wilson’s statue, though she did not refer to him by name.