Woman Wednesday with Dawn Staley
“I am a living, breathing example of all who came before me.”
This Woman Wednesday, we honor a powerhouse who has never backed down from greatness, Dawn Staley.
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Famer, and the first person in history to win the Naismith College Player of the Year as both player and coach, Dawn is rewriting the playbook for women in sports.
In her new New York Times bestselling memoir, Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three, Dawn invites us beyond the trophies and courtside cameras. She brings us home — to North Philly, to her mother’s strength, and to the gritty determination that shaped her into the leader she is today.
Through deeply personal stories, Dawn reminds us that greatness isn’t handed out. It’s earned through perseverance, faith, and the audacity to believe you belong. Whether coaching the University of South Carolina to three NCAA championships or fighting for equal pay and representation, she’s never lost sight of the joy in the grind.
“Everybody has the ability to lead. You just have to want to.”
“Faith buoyed her… My mother needed somewhere to place her energy. Her religion became a challenge for her to live right, to do right, to pour her grace on other people.”
Dawn Staley’s journey is proof of what happens when faith, family, and fierce vision collide. Uncommon Favor is more than a memoir, it’s a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership.
Uncommon Favor is available wherever books are sold & follow her journey at @staley05 on IG. | Upcoming appearances in NYC, Philly, and South Carolina!
