Tessa Johnson admires her head coach Dawn StaleyTessa Johnson admires her head coach Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley admires her players. South Carolina Gamecocks burgeoning star Tessa Johnson recently had some very complimentary words for her coach.

Here’s what Johnson said:

“She’s always talking about character, and building your character, and having a solid foundation, and just seeing her and how she inspires me, and how she, like she’s a role model to me. So just her being her that’s the biggest lesson I get”

The comments

came during a forum for the ESPN Women Summit in Brooklyn, New York, where Johnson was one of the main speakers.

Johnson was one of the revelations of the Lady Gamecocks championship-winning run in 2023-24. She averaged 6.6 points per game, 1.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game last season. Her field goal percentage was 44.7% in her freshman.

Dawn Staley gets a present from the NY Knicks

The New York Knicks, who beat the Philadelphia 76ers during the ongoing NBA playoffs, decided to poke fun at Dawn Staley.

Staley, a Philadelphia native and a fan of the 76ers, got a care package from the rival franchise after the 76ers lost the playoffs series 4-2. The South Carolina coach took to her X account to share the contents of the package, adding the following words to describe it:

“Can’t beat em join them … Thank you to my @nyknicks peeps for sending the NY love package! Thank you Rick! Thank you Jalen! Family for life! Win that ish!!”

The package included a jersey of the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and a picture of the player as a kid with the now three-time national championship-winning coach.

The Knicks, meanwhile, continue their run in the playoffs and are now matched with the Indiana Pacers, whom they lead two games to one. They play the Pacers again on Sunday at 3:00 pm ET.