South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley delivered a moving speech at the ESPYs on Thursday night, where she was honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. Staley used the platform to advocate for pay equity and address other social justice issues.
“How do I not fight injustice when I ask them to do things the right way?” Staley said in a video posted on x, formerly Twitter, by ESPN. “How do I not ask for fairness when I ask them not to cheat themselves, not to cut corners? How do I not fight for equity when I tell them they can climb as high as they want, they can be all they want?”
Staley’s speech emphasized the glaring pay disparities in sports, particularly between men's and women's basketball coaches. According to a USA TODAY Sports database, via Lorenzo Reyes, Staley received $3.1 million in basic compensation this season, tying her with UConn's Geno Auriemma for the second-highest salary among women’s college basketball coaches. LSU's Kim Mulkey topped the list with $3.26 million. In stark contrast, Kansas men’s coach Bill Self earned $9.6 million, making Staley's salary equivalent to just the 38th highest among men’s basketball coaches.
“How do I not fight pay disparity when I do the same job and get paid less, but win more?” Staley said. “They're (players) watching me; I can't ask them to stand up for themselves if I'm sitting down, nor can I ask them to use their voice to affect change if I'm only willing to whisper. So, when someone tells me to ‘shut up and coach,' I simply say: ‘No.' I have a job to do.”
Dawn Staley's advocacy, basketball achievements
Staley’s advocacy goes beyond pay equity. She also promotes cancer research and bone marrow donation, inspired by her sister Tracey Underwood, who received a transplant from their brother after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2020. S
Reflecting on her journey, Staley added, “I try my best to do things in the right way, knowing that some little girl is out there watching me. Maybe she's growing up in the projects of north Philly like I did, or maybe she's in a rural town somewhere.”
Staley’s achievements in basketball are impressive. She led South Carolina to a perfect 38-0 season, securing her second NCAA championship in three seasons and third overall. Bill Self, for comparison, has won two national championships, in 2008 and 2022.
“It's the fight for me, the unwillingness to give up or to quit,” Staley said. “I think that's why I stand here today. I'm not the one to back down and I don't give up, and believe me, I'm not perfect. I still clap back at people who troll me on social media. I can't help myself but I'm working on it. But every once in a while I get perspective, and I remember why I fight so hard.”
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