Before Dawn Staley was predicting MVP awards for Aliyah Boston, she was taking away her lunch. “She’s on the All-WNBA Second Team, and I think she’s on her way to being MVP because she works extremely hard on her craft,” Staley said back in November. In 2025, Boston finished 6th in the MVP voting race while earning All-Star, All Defense and All-WNBA honors as well. She is well on her way to fulfilling Staley’s belief. However, there was a time when Boston disappointed Staley, leading to a peculiar punishment. 

Before becoming the Indiana Fever’s centerpiece, Aliyah Boston played for Dawn Staley at South Carolina for 4 years. It was here Staley sharpened Boston’s tools as they won an NCAA championship. Boston was named NCAA Tournament MOP, AP Player of the Year, and Naismith College Player of the Year and received many other honors. As a freshman after a series of mistakes, Dawn Staley took Boston and the entire team’s… sandwiches?

During her conversation with Candace Parker on their podcast “Post Moves,” Boston opened up about an incident when the Gamecocks traveled to St. Thomas for the Paradise Jam. After losing their opening game against Indiana, Boston said that Staley was “pissed.”

“She was like, you didn’t listen to any of the scouting report. You’re over here contesting three-point shooters,” Boston said. “I do remember I contested a jumper from Mackenzie Holmes, and she didn’t shoot any jumpers. She went straight by me, and Coach Staley couldn’t believe her eyes.”

Mackenzie Holmes hit exactly zero three-pointers as a freshman. She went on to average 0.3 3-pointers attempted per game over her 4-year career and largely depended on the paint. No wonder Staley was upset. What followed was even more surprising for Boston. 

“The next day we were working out, and we had ordered all these sandwiches for after practice before the next game,” Boston said. “We show up and see the staff getting their sandwiches. Everybody’s getting their sandwiches. We’re like, oh, where are our sandwiches? She’s like, no. After the performance y’all had, maybe y’all ate too much.”

Well, it worked. The Gamecocks ended up winning the Paradise Jam and went on to have an undefeated 31-0 record after this loss. They were even favored to win the National Championship, but the tournament was canceled after the Covid-19 outbreak. And Boston wasn’t the first South Carolina star to feel the sting of Staley’s tough love. South Carolina boss benched A’ja Wilson after she shot 2-for-7, committing three turnovers in 16 minutes during her first game. 

Then later on, Staley pulled Wilson aside from group practice and continued on the sidelines. Why? Staley claimed Wilson was ‘blending,’ playing the average game when her potential was much higher. Today, Wilson is one of the greatest WNBA players of all time. But while Staley demands excellence on the court, she knows when to lighten the mood off it.

Dawn Staley Jumps In On Viral Trend After Confirming Future Plans

Dawn Staley and South Carolina are stretched thin this season. They lost Chloe Kitts to an ACL tear just before the season began and Ashlynn Watkins has yet to come back from her break. However, Staley confirmed that both will be returning next season. “Ashlyn took the year off. She’ll come back when the year is up. Sometime in May,” she said. “Chloe will come back next year. I think she said that on Instagram. As far as I know, the transfer portal isn’t open right now.”

Staley also confirmed that the program is trying to get an extension for Madina Okot, who played her first 2 years back in Kenya. As the Gamecocks continue their 2025-26 season, Staley has taken to social media to show her other side.

Staley, along with South Carolina stars Chloe Kitts, Raven Johnson, Agot Makeer, and assistant coach Khadijah Sessions, hopped on the popular Emmitt Smith challenge choreographed by Adhel Tac. The 2015 released song from the Migos has gone viral on social media. The coach more than kept up with her young players with some smooth moves. It is not the first time Staley has been down to have some fun. 

Last December, former Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley posted a TikTok with her dancing along to a song for a few seconds before Staley entered the background and began busting out her own moves. Then there was the video when she danced to the viral “Tweaker” song. Sometimes, even when she is oblivious to trends or the jokes, she tries to catch on. This is one of the many ways Staley connects with the players, further easing the locker room environment.