Watch: Daybreak Staley accepts fourth Naismith Coach of the Yr Award
Daybreak Staley accepted her fourth straight Naismith Girls’s School Coach of the Yr Award on Wednesday in Cleveland.
Few folks had been left sitting when South Carolina ladies’s basketball coach Daybreak Staley took the stage Thursday night time to simply accept the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance on the 2024 ESPYS on the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
Staley was honored for her work advocating for most cancers analysis and bone marrow donors. Staley’s sister, Tracey Underwood, who attended the awards ceremony, and Staley’s buddy and former assistant coach, Nikki McCray-Penson — who died July 7, 2023 — each had most cancers.
Underwood was identified with leukemia in 2020 and wanted a bone marrow transplant, after which Staley started her efforts to extend consciousness for the necessity for bone marrow donors, particularly these within the Black neighborhood, and encourage folks to enroll on the bone marrow registry, Be The Match, now often called NMDP.
“I’m profoundly honored and deeply moved however I have to confess I really feel a bit undeserving of this recognition. Previous recipients of the Jimmy V Award have confronted unimaginable challenges and confirmed themselves as true warriors. I’ve merely been a spectator to such immense resilience,” Staley mentioned to open her speech.
Actress Quinta Brunson, like Staley a Philadelphia native, and Stuart Scott’s two daughters introduced the award to Staley. Scott, a former ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor, received the award 10 years in the past. He additionally had most cancers, and died on Jan. 4, 2015.
On X, previously often called Twitter, Staley wrote a message Saturday to honor McCray-Penson.
“On today a 12 months in the past, our basketball neighborhood misplaced an amazing soul @NikkiMccray15 not a day goes by I don’t consider you. It makes me (unhappy face emoji) understanding you’re not right here to share in life’s most treasured factor….TIME. I like you deeply Nik Nik! Say hello to the massive fella and my mother! We received U!”
The 2023-24 South Carolina ladies’s basketball NCAA championship group was nominated for “greatest group” — which it received — and was in California for the awards present. Staley had her gamers rise up for appreciation.
“I attempt my greatest to do issues the correct method understanding some little lady is on the market watching me, perhaps she’s rising up within the initiatives of North Philly like I did . . . or perhaps she’s one of many 13 pair of eyes that each single little factor I do and makes certain to touch upon it, that is my group.
“How do I not battle injustice once I ask them to do the issues the correct method, how do I not battle for fairness once I inform them they’ll climb as excessive as they need . . . How do I not battle pay disparity once I do the identical job and receives a commission much less, however win extra.”
Former South Carolina participant A’ja Wilson was nominated for and received each “Greatest WNBA participant” and “Greatest athlete, ladies’s sports activities.” Basketball legend Candace Parker introduced the latter award to Wilson — a two-time WNBA MVP and WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces — who accepted the award through video message and thanked Staley.
Previous to her speech on the ESPYS, Staley celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of USA Basketball with former Olympians, present gamers, coaches and former President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
OBAMA AND STALEY: Former President Barack Obama hugs Daybreak Staley, says he is happy with South Carolina coach
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville Information and the USA TODAY Community. E-mail her at lkesin@gannett.com and observe her on X, previously often called Twitter, @Lulukesin
