“Never wanted me to play basketball”: When Dawn Staley explained how her strained relationship with “old-school” father improved over time.

USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic: TCU v South Carolina (image credit: getty)

Dawn Staley fought several challenges to get where she is. At the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame ceremony, she revealed that a major one stemmed from her home. Her father was initially against her playing basketball, seemingly due to the lack of opportunities in women’s basketball at the time. However, Staley carved her path to become one of the greatest women’s basketball players.

Staley’s father died in 2006. Seven years later, his daughter was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. During her acceptance speech, Staley openly spoke about her strained relationship with himr and how it improved over time.

When she shared her thoughts about the 2004 Olympics opening ceremony, she pointed out that her father thought it was “a waste of time” for her to play basketball.

“Walking extremely slow as instructed by the usher, I thought about how temple led me to the realization about my father,” Staley said (09:40). “I was told my father, ‘Cudd’ as we called him, will quietly attend my temple games and sit in the rafters so to not be noticed. Cudd had never been an advocate for my playing basketball. He never wanted me to play basketball; old school. I believe he thought it was a waste of time.

“He had no idea where the game could or would take me and probably thought discouraging me to play was in my best interest. After he passed, I was told he kept up a box of my press clippings and would show anyone who sat with him. I think in the end, he finally understood and was probably quietly my biggest fan.”

Dawn Staley’s relationship with her late parents

According to sources, Dawn Staley’s parents, Clarence and Estelle Staley, were originally from South Carolina. Unfortunately, Clarence died in 2006 due to an illness, per ESPN. However, her mother witnessed her daughter reach the epitome of women’s basketball before she died in 2017.

Dawn stayed true to her roots and despite moving to Philadelphia, she found her heart still in South Carolina and built her Gamecocks legacy in college basketball. While she spoke about her bittersweet relationship with her father, she was grateful and loving towards her mother. Dawn added that Clarence was only her second biggest fan because no one could beat the support she got from her Estelle.

During the speech, her mother got teary-eyed while listening to Dawn on stage. Dawn talked about how Estelle organized a gathering at her home when she was the flag bearer and led Team USA in the Athens Olympics opening ceremony in 2004. Dawn also shared how her mother sacrificed her own needs to give her what she wanted.