"I never cheated on it, I never took it for granted": Dawn Staley shares a bold excerpt from the audiobook of her NYT bestseller 'Uncommon Favor'

Dawn Staley captured headlines off the court after she gave fans a glimpse from the pages of her New York Times bestselling audiobook, "Uncommon Favor." Staley celebrated another week of the book sitting on the bestseller list, offering fans an audio excerpt about the depth of her love for the game.

On Monday, Staley shared a bold excerpt from the audiobook on Instagram.

“I was made for basketball,” Staley said. “I knew from the moment I was old enough to run. I can’t recall a time when I couldn’t. I never cheated on it. I never took it for granted. I didn’t care what anybody else was doing, not then, not now.”

The excerpt offered a personal glimpse into Staley’s lifelong connection to basketball. In her words, the sport wasn’t just a hobby or a career, it was part of her identity, her companion and her escape.

“When I think back on my childhood, the movie in my head is always basketball,” Staley said. “How it drove me every day, running the court, passing, shooting, charging, blocking and jumping.”

The sport came to her as naturally as breathing, Staley explained. She saw it as more than just a game; she expressed that it was a place where everything felt good. The book dives into Staley’s roots in North Philadelphia, the influence of her mother and how basketball became a calling.

Before becoming a coach, Staley played as a point guard at the University of Virginia in the late 1980s and early 1990s, where she left as the school's all-time leading scorer.

Her experience also included coaching Team USA to gold medals at the 2018 FIBA World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics, adding to her three Olympic gold medals as a player.

Dawn Staley makes an appearance at WNBA game

Dawn Staley made a courtside appearance at the WNBA game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Seattle Storm on Sunday to show support for former South Carolina players.

On Sunday, the WNBA social media account posted a video of Staley waving to the camera on X.

The game, held at Chase Center, saw the Golden State Valkyries defeat the Seattle Storm 84-57. Former South Carolina star Laeticia Amihere delivered a standout performance off the bench, contributing 15 points and eight rebounds in just 18 minutes.

Apart from Amihere, Bree Hall and Zia Cooke were the other former South Carolina players who were in action in front of Staley. All three were members of South Carolina's 2022 championship squad.

Since taking over the Gamecocks program in 2008, Staley led South Carolina to the NCAA championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024.

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Edited by Krutik Jain