Dawn Staley Rejected Philadelphia WNBA Coaching Speculations While Setting Her Sights on WNBA Ownership

June 24, 2025 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

The University of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach, Dawn Staley, denies all rumors about coaching a future WNBA expansion team in her hometown of Philadelphia. At the promotional event for her memoir, Staley reveals her dream to become a WNBA franchise owner. The enthusiastic audience reacts in such a way that it reveals Philadelphia’s deep desire to receive a professional women’s basketball team following Staley’s statement.

Philadelphia remains among several cities, including Toronto and Portland, that the Philadelphia 76ers and Comcast evaluate for WNBA expansion team status. Staley makes it clear to everyone that "I don’t want to coach. I want ownership." Staley’s drive energizes supporters and generates discussions about the potential developments of women's basketball in Philadelphia.

The appearance of a fresh WNBA team attracts interest from bettors because sportsbooks predict how the new league dynamics, along with roster changes and team performance, will evolve. The WNBA development creates new betting possibilities that fans and bettors can access through online platforms to learn how to place bets without verification.

The decision to avoid coaching comes from her accomplished career alongside her ongoing responsibilities. Under her leadership, South Carolina won three NCAA championships during 2017, 2022, and 2024 and achieved seven Final Four appearances, along with a 172-80 record in eight years at Temple University. Staley dedicates herself to South Carolina basketball, but she keeps her mind open to possible professional basketball opportunities after turning 55.

The book Uncommon Favor describes Staley's transformation from a reluctant coach into a trailblazing leader who drew inspiration from her childhood in North Philadelphia, along with her WNBA experience with the Charlotte Sting.

Temple athletic director Dave O'Brien successfully convinced Staley to become a coach in 2000 after she showed reluctance to take on the position. After achieving success at Temple, she created a dominant program at South Carolina, where she established herself as a leading coach. Through her memoir, Staley demonstrates how the discipline and community values from her childhood have stayed with her to shape her current leadership style.

Staley fully supports a WNBA team in Philadelphia because she has an intense love for the city. She confirms Philadelphia's readiness but gives a warning about the challenges that come with starting a new franchise while playfully referring to the impatience of local fans, identical to their support for the 76ers.

Philadelphia's potential WNBA expansion creates extensive market interest in the betting industry because new teams typically transform league operations and provide new betting possibilities. The analysis of the Philadelphia franchise's impact on player selections, coaching picks, and competitive team standings drives sportsbooks to provide betting odds for various events, from season results to individual player statistics.

The potential ownership role for Staley makes the team's direction more intriguing because her supervision will attract betting attention. She advocates for equity in women's sports by demonstrating that women's basketball produces significant revenue, which remains unreported through fan participation, merchandise sales, and college enrollment growth from athletic programs.

Staley shares her leadership philosophy in her book's motto “Look. Sound. Feel.,” which describes her instinctual style that earned her the title of the first Black head coach to win multiple NCAA women’s basketball championships. Her leadership creates positive change in the athletic world and builds up both athletes and sports fans alike.

The WNBA bid decision for Philadelphia keeps Staley central to discussions, even though she hopes to become the proud owner of the team. The basketball community in Philadelphia stays hopeful about the situation, and bettors monitor the situation because they predict how a new franchise will change the WNBA. Staley maintains her position at South Carolina while promoting her memoir and actively working to have ownership in the sports industry.