Dawn Staley WNBA pipeline runs through South Carolina women’s basketball

On Aug 17, 2023

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COLUMBIA — Zia Cooke will always think of the 2023 WNBA Draft as the best day of her life.

When the future All-American signed with South Carolina women’s basketball in 2019, getting to the WNBA was her singular focus. Coach Dawn Staley knew it, and she immediately began to leverage that ultimate goal in Cooke’s training.

“You utilize the fact that they want to be pros, and well, if you want to be a pro then these habits are the ones your need to develop really quickly,” Staley said. “They don’t get it the first or second year, but they usually get it … and now it’s just a matter of letting their habits do their thing.”

Hardly a month after she was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks, Cooke had a career performance in her first WNBA game against the Phoenix Mercury. She scored 14 points in 15 minutes off the bench, shooting 83% from the field and a perfect 2-of-2 from 3-point range. Staley sat courtside at that game to celebrate the return of Brittney Griner after her detainment in Russia, and getting to share in Cooke’s shining pro debut was a pleasant bonus.

“It was amazing to have her there, and to able to put on a performance the way I did with her in the building felt even better,” Cooke said. “Since then I’ve had my times where I’ve been down, and she was the person I call to lift me up … She has a whole team that she can worry about, but anytime I call (she’s) there for me and I appreciate it.”

Dawn Staley players on WNBA rosters

There are 55 NCAA institutions represented across the 144 athletes on WNBA rosters, but only three schools have at least 10 active players in the league. Unsurprisingly, Geno Auriemma and UConn lead the way with 16, while South Carolina is tied with Notre Dame for second place with 10.

What stands out about Staley’s group is its recent growth. Of Auriemma’s 16 alumni, four entered the league in the last three seasons, and the group averages four years of experience. None of Notre Dame’s players have less than four years of experience, and they average nearly six years in the league.

Four of South Carolina’s 10 alumni are rookies, and three others have entered the league in the last four years. Only two, Tiffany Mitchell and Allisha Gray, have played more than five seasons — seven and six, respectively.

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