There’s no doubt that South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has built a dynasty since becoming the Gamecocks’ leader in 2008.
Her program appears to prioritize accountability and professional-level preparation in order to prepare players for what’s hopefully to come once their college careers are over.However, it seems that some aspects of how Staley runs her program are a stark difference to how the professional level works, which former South Carolina standout Te-Hina Paopao (who is now a rookie for the Atlanta Dream) pointed out in hilarious fashion on Wednesday.
When speaking with the media on May 7, Paopao said, “What’s new [between college and the pros] is that I have my own room. I also didn’t have to ask permission to leave the hotel, I though that was so cool!” per Noah Chast of ABC Columbia.
Paopao’s response has since gone viral, amassing over 130,000 views on X in less than six hours. And several fans are showing Dawn Staley respect for running a tight ship.
“Graduated from Dawn’s daycare!! ” one fan wrote as a response to Dream player Allisha Gray’s comment on the initial video.
