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00:00:00Do-be-do-be

00:00:46If I had a million tongues, I don't think that would be enough thank yous for this experience,

00:00:52you know, to have two black female coaches playing in Paris, opening up college basketball

00:01:01season, not just women's college basketball, the men too, like include them, yes, and I'm

00:01:10hoping that, seriously, I'm hoping that a national championship comes out of this Paris game.

00:01:22Is there anything more symbolic than how big women's hoops has gotten, starting up the

00:01:27season in Paris?

00:01:28Let's go Gamecock!

00:01:32Let's go Gamecock!

00:01:35Let's go Gamecock!

00:01:37It's only fitting that we start this season in epic fashion because that's how we ended

00:01:41it a year ago.

00:01:43Oh!

00:01:44Just under South Carolina!

00:01:47It's South Carolina's undefeated season ends tonight!

00:02:16Nerds got them turned down.

00:02:28We've had, we've not had to deal with nerves in a long time.

00:02:35We haven't had to deal with nerves, you said, really?

00:02:41Not these type of nerves.

00:02:56I think every sport that really hadn't got what it deserved, deserves a moment like this

00:03:03in which a lot of eyeballs were on our, on our game.

00:03:08We've been held back for a very long time, but now we're in a place where we're in high demand

00:03:17and there isn't any going back.

00:03:24Any time you move forward, you have to know where it came from.

00:03:32Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go!

00:03:36We want more people knowing the history of our game and the future of our game.

00:03:41And I think I'm right in the middle because I've seen where we've come and I hope to see

00:03:47where we're going because it's long overdue.

00:03:53Women have been playing basketball in a ladylike fashion since the 1890s.

00:03:58There have been three leagues that have tried and failed.

00:04:01For each moment in time, it had to happen in order for us to build to this moment.

00:04:07Here comes Clark.

00:04:08How will she go for history?

00:04:10There it is!

00:04:12The women's game, taking center stage, breaking ratings records, and changing the perceptions

00:04:18of women's sports.

00:04:19You can't be afraid to do whatever it takes.

00:04:22Connecticut has won the national championship.

00:04:25For the first time, it wasn't just a dream.

00:04:28The women's NBA starts its first season.

00:04:31Are American men ready for this?

00:04:32I don't know, but if they're not, they better get ready.

00:04:35Stanley, the step back, three at the poster!

00:04:38Dawn's career matches this growth of women's basketball in the inflection points.

00:04:44Visibility is through the roof, interest at an all-time high.

00:04:47Perhaps the most anticipated women's college basketball game ever.

00:04:52It was this culmination of the best of the best from basketball.

00:04:57I mean, you just can't write a better script.

00:04:59I'm going to help them meet that moment.

00:05:01I'm so proud of where women's basketball is.

00:05:06We're not going to let this season go.

00:05:08Same game, let's same game!

00:05:22And here we go for the very first time in Paris.

00:05:26We have NCAA basketball.

00:05:29Here's Zidalgo.

00:05:31Shimings, takes, and bates.

00:05:33If she knocks one down on you, go right the fuck back and get her.

00:05:39Wow, for Wiley!

00:05:41My goodness!

00:05:42A show-stopping highlight!

00:05:46Shit, I like that.

00:05:53Yo!

00:05:54That motherfucking pass!

00:05:58The Gamecocks win it over Notre Dame, 100-71.

00:06:06Yo!

00:06:08Full Wiley!

00:06:10I mean, I saw it!

00:06:12I saw it, but I was like,

00:06:14no!

00:06:17No!

00:06:19Oh, my God.

00:06:21Magic Johnson posted, quote,

00:06:22everyone must see the coast-to-coast, behind-the-back move.

00:06:26From freshman yards, the best move in all of basketball,

00:06:28better than Steph, LeBron, and all.

00:06:31There's money to be made on the women's game.

00:06:34I can't wait to see, you know, how things explode.

00:06:36For the women's game in particular, the sky's the limit.

00:06:40I think along the way,

00:06:41there have been some important tipping points

00:06:43in women's basketball history.

00:06:44You know, we're in a moment right now,

00:06:47these women have never been bigger stars.

00:06:50Juju Watkins has just set

00:06:52the national freshman scoring record.

00:06:55Angel Reese, who's become one of the biggest stars in the sport.

00:06:58Angel Reese has come to play.

00:07:01Or Caitlin breaking every record.

00:07:03The all-time attendance record for women's basketball.

00:07:07And sure enough, it's Malaysia that goes viral

00:07:09with this play in the game.

00:07:11And Malaysia came out there and played with a free flair

00:07:14that could be reminiscent of her own coach, Dawn Staley.

00:07:17With behind-the-back dribbles and no-look passes,

00:07:20Staley is the magic Johnson of Lady Hoops.

00:07:26What's amazing about Dawn's career journey

00:07:30is it sort of matches this growth of women's basketball

00:07:34and the inflection points?

00:07:37WNBA all-star, three-time gold medal winner as an Olympian.

00:07:41Every step along the way,

00:07:42Dawn has been a history maker

00:07:44from college to the WNBA, USA basketball,

00:07:48and now in coaching.

00:07:50Dawn's career is sort of an interesting retrospective

00:07:54because she has been riding this wave

00:07:57and contributing to it from the very beginning.

00:08:01I've been in the game all my life.

00:08:04I feel that I owe basketball for the life it's given me.

00:08:19I would not be who I am today

00:08:21if I didn't grow up in North Philly.

00:08:27My entire life, I played against guys.

00:08:33It was them who raised me as a basketball player.

00:08:40When you're up at the center,

00:08:41we call it the big boy court.

00:08:43That's the full court.

00:08:44There's a little girl growing up in Philly.

00:08:46Like, that was the goal in front of me

00:08:48is to get on the big boy court.

00:08:52But, you know, that was, for me, far-fetched.

00:08:57Like, I couldn't wait to get there,

00:08:59but I also knew I had to wait my turn.

00:09:05And then when I was able to get on the big boy court,

00:09:09it felt very much like

00:09:11when I first received my first gold medal.

00:09:13It felt very much like

00:09:16when I got my first national championship.

00:09:19Like, it's on that stage

00:09:23of achievement.

00:09:27We're in a different time now.

00:09:30Most young girls,

00:09:31it's a lot easier for them

00:09:33to dream,

00:09:34and to dream big,

00:09:36because it's right there in front of them.

00:09:38So we've grown so much.

00:09:42And now people want to know

00:09:44the history of our game.

00:09:46They want to know the depth

00:09:48of women's basketball.

00:09:49That is what you want.

00:09:51That is, you want them

00:09:52desiring more.

00:09:55President Nixon today

00:09:57signed a $20 billion education bill

00:10:00into law.

00:10:00Title IX forbids sex discrimination

00:10:03in educational programs

00:10:05and activities receiving federal funds.

00:10:07stated simply,

00:10:09women must be given

00:10:10the same access and exposure

00:10:11to sports as men.

00:10:13I can tell you right now,

00:10:15we wouldn't be doing a documentary

00:10:17if it wasn't for Title IX.

00:10:21Title IX was the driver

00:10:23of women's basketball

00:10:25and the opportunity

00:10:25for young girls

00:10:27to train,

00:10:28to have teams.

00:10:29The growth in women's sports

00:10:31has been tremendous

00:10:31since Title IX.

00:10:33Girls' participation

00:10:34in high school athletics

00:10:35is up by more than 400%.

00:10:37I'm a Title IX baby

00:10:39and I'm proud to have

00:10:41helped grow my sport.

00:10:43The first lady of basketball,

00:10:45Nancy Lieberman.

00:10:48I was the first full scholarship

00:10:50athlete at Old Dominion University

00:10:53for a female.

00:10:55Old Dominion was 125 and 15

00:10:58in my four years.

00:10:59We were really America's team.

00:11:01Everywhere we went,

00:11:02it was the largest crowd

00:11:03they ever had.

00:11:04You know, like,

00:11:05it took a long time

00:11:06for us to get women's sports

00:11:08live as they were happening.

00:11:10And then, in 1980,

00:11:12they televised the

00:11:13Women's Basketball

00:11:14National Championship.

00:11:15It was a real turning point

00:11:16in sports history.

00:11:17That's Lieberman's game

00:11:19right there.

00:11:19Push the ball down the floor.

00:11:21She can handle it better

00:11:21than anybody in the country

00:11:22right now.

00:11:23Women's basketball

00:11:24was never televised

00:11:25when I was growing up.

00:11:26But then I finally saw

00:11:28Nancy Lieberman on the TV

00:11:30and I was like,

00:11:31who is this girl?

00:11:32I remember creating goals

00:11:34for myself for the first time.

00:11:36How powerful was that

00:11:37now that I think about it?

00:11:38Old Dominion has won it.

00:11:40Our sport has been built

00:11:43on the pride of women,

00:11:45the strength of women.

00:11:48The Nancy Liebermans,

00:11:50the Lynette Wooders.

00:11:51I became a four-year

00:11:52All-American at Kansas

00:11:54and scored over 3,600 points.

00:11:57Well, that's what her

00:11:57will have more points

00:11:58than anybody else.

00:11:59Women's basketball.

00:12:01I just think of certain players

00:12:02in the history of the sport

00:12:03who were really setting the tone

00:12:06and creating a higher level of play.

00:12:08Players like Annie Myers.

00:12:10Crowds are bigger this year.

00:12:12The enthusiasm is for

00:12:13the UCLA women's team.

00:12:15Sophomore guard Ann Myers

00:12:16is one reason why.

00:12:17She is the first woman

00:12:19ever to attend UCLA

00:12:20on a full basketball scholarship.

00:12:22Do you think the girls

00:12:23play as good a game

00:12:24as the men?

00:12:25It's just as exciting.

00:12:28I figure in a way

00:12:30I'm a pioneer

00:12:31for other women coming in.

00:12:35Generally regarded

00:12:36as the best all-round

00:12:38women's player in the country.

00:12:39Her name is Cheryl Miller.

00:12:41At Riverside Pauley High School,

00:12:43she once scored 105 points

00:12:45in a single game.

00:12:46Cheryl led USC

00:12:47to its first national championship.

00:12:49Cheryl, the guys

00:12:50ever underestimate you?

00:12:51Not anymore.

00:12:53Well, you've got

00:12:54two years left of college ball.

00:12:56Is it possible you'll have

00:12:57to hang up the sneakers

00:12:58after that and retire

00:12:59from basketball?

00:13:00Well, you know,

00:13:01I don't know.

00:13:02What I hope to see

00:13:03is a women's professional league.

00:13:05I think tongue-been

00:13:06is everything.

00:13:07And, you know,

00:13:08Cheryl Miller,

00:13:09she didn't get

00:13:10what we got, right?

00:13:11And Ann Myers

00:13:13and Nancy Lieberman,

00:13:16they didn't get

00:13:17what Cheryl got.

00:13:19I took the torch

00:13:20and carried it.

00:13:21I took it from

00:13:21the group before me.

00:13:23And so for each

00:13:24moment in time,

00:13:27it's the way

00:13:28it had to happen

00:13:29in order for us

00:13:29to build to this moment.

00:13:31Those are the women

00:13:32that pushed for Dawn.

00:13:35And then Dawn

00:13:36and her generation

00:13:38of the Cheryl Swoops

00:13:39and Lisa Leslie,

00:13:41it's those first

00:13:43foundational generations

00:13:44that have really

00:13:45set the rest of us

00:13:46up for success.

00:13:49A lot has been done

00:13:51in order to grow the game.

00:13:53But still,

00:13:55we're not comfortable

00:13:56with breaking barriers.

00:13:58And we need to get

00:13:59comfortable with it

00:14:00because there isn't

00:14:02any going back.

00:14:04A phenomenal

00:14:05top ten women's hoops

00:14:06game tonight

00:14:07in Baton Rouge.

00:14:08The reigning champs,

00:14:09LSU hosting

00:14:10South Carolina.

00:14:11The best way for me

00:14:13to describe the anticipation

00:14:14for that game

00:14:14between South Carolina

00:14:16and LSU

00:14:17is as we were driving

00:14:18from our hotel

00:14:19to the arena,

00:14:20the bars along the street

00:14:23on the way to the arena

00:14:23were filled

00:14:24and people spilling

00:14:25out of them.

00:14:26And Holly,

00:14:27who covers all of the

00:14:28biggest college football

00:14:29games, said,

00:14:30This feels like a football

00:14:31Saturday in Baton Rouge.

00:14:33Visibility is through

00:14:34the roof,

00:14:34interest at an all-time high.

00:14:36It's time now, guys.

00:14:37Just put an end

00:14:38to all this hype

00:14:39about who's the best team,

00:14:41who's this,

00:14:42who's that.

00:14:43They have something

00:14:44that we want.

00:14:45We want the

00:14:46national championship.

00:14:47They're just in the way

00:14:48right now.

00:14:48Let's go and do

00:14:49what we need to do.

00:14:51Effort never dies.

00:14:52When that's the win.

00:14:54Let's go!

00:14:55Let's go!

00:15:03Don was wearing her

00:15:05Everybody Watches

00:15:06Women's Sports shirt

00:15:06and I was like,

00:15:07they do tonight.

00:15:09Like, it was just

00:15:10electric and dynamic.

00:15:12You've got Angel Rees,

00:15:14one of the biggest brands

00:15:15in sports.

00:15:16People are obsessed

00:15:17with Angel Rees.

00:15:19I think you had, like,

00:15:20sort of a perfect storm

00:15:22of big stars

00:15:23and coaches

00:15:23with big personalities.

00:15:29They will hate

00:15:30to hear this,

00:15:30but Kim Mulkey

00:15:31and Don Staley

00:15:32are more alike

00:15:33than they are different.

00:15:34Kim Mulkey

00:15:35was a national championship

00:15:36caliber player

00:15:37for Louisiana Tech.

00:15:38Don Staley

00:15:39at Virginia.

00:15:39They both go on

00:15:40and play on the Olympic team.

00:15:42Then they go into coaching

00:15:43and they make their mark

00:15:44with national championships.

00:15:46They are women

00:15:47who attract attention.

00:15:50And then their style.

00:15:52I mean, you've got Gucci

00:15:53on one side

00:15:53and the Queen of Sparkles

00:15:54on the other.

00:15:55Like, come on!

00:15:57How you doing?

00:15:58They can say

00:15:59whatever the hell they want.

00:16:00They don't get no better

00:16:01than what you and I

00:16:02have fucking put

00:16:03on this floor.

00:16:04Don't you ever forget it!

00:16:25You're not guarding us!

00:16:30You're not guarding the anchor!

00:16:33Reese clicks in!

00:16:35Cuts the foul!

00:16:37Reese comes up

00:16:38with the old board.

00:16:39Van Rive

00:16:40on a three.

00:16:43Cuts the foul

00:16:44away from the wall.

00:16:46Fly it to the

00:16:46motherfucking basket!

00:16:48You gonna pull up?

00:16:48Go get a foul on her!

00:16:51You motherfucking play!

00:16:53Reese gets swallowed up

00:16:55by Cardoso

00:16:56and gives a little stare

00:16:57afterward.

00:16:58I just remember

00:17:00the moment

00:17:00where the script

00:17:01flipped

00:17:01and South Carolina

00:17:03became unafraid

00:17:04and they took control

00:17:05of that moment

00:17:06and that crazy crowd.

00:17:09Hall will take that one!

00:17:12And hit!

00:17:16Here's Pow Pow

00:17:18dumping it down

00:17:19in the corner.

00:17:20Hall!

00:17:21She got it!

00:17:22Another three

00:17:23for Brie Hall!

00:17:25I'm a fucking champion!

00:17:26I am!

00:17:30For much of this game

00:17:31LSU controlled

00:17:33the down the stretch

00:17:34Gamecocks remain

00:17:37undefeated!

00:17:40Great game, baby!

00:17:42Great job!

00:17:44Yeah!

00:17:44Great job, y'all!

00:17:46For South Carolina

00:17:47to be down

00:17:47and then fight back

00:17:49and both teams

00:17:50played well

00:17:51it was just perfect

00:17:52like this is why

00:17:54we're trying to tell you

00:17:55our game is so great.

00:17:56It doesn't get much bigger

00:17:58than this, Arda, right?

00:17:59Two schools on the floor

00:18:00tonight,

00:18:0011 combined final fours,

00:18:02three national titles,

00:18:03the last two national champions.

00:18:04It was the game

00:18:05of the season.

00:18:06I did not disappoint.

00:18:10Yeah!

00:18:12Yeah!

00:18:13I think that

00:18:14what you're seeing now

00:18:15around women's basketball

00:18:16it's, you know,

00:18:18really blown up

00:18:18this year

00:18:19in a way that we've

00:18:19never seen before

00:18:20but it is comparable

00:18:22to what was happening

00:18:23in the mid-90s.

00:18:26The mid-90s,

00:18:27to me,

00:18:27it's the birth

00:18:28of women's basketball.

00:18:29In 1993

00:18:30was the first time

00:18:30I really started

00:18:31paying attention

00:18:32with Cheryl Swoops

00:18:32because my dad told me

00:18:33she played like

00:18:33Michael Jordan.

00:18:34You have to understand

00:18:35the importance

00:18:36of Swoops 93

00:18:37and the amazing performance

00:18:38that she had

00:18:39at the final four

00:18:40and on the national stage.

00:18:41I think that moment

00:18:42was really important

00:18:43because Cheryl Swoops

00:18:45is somebody

00:18:45that caught

00:18:46the national attention.

00:18:48And then 1995

00:18:50was a huge tipping point

00:18:51for women's basketball

00:18:52because America

00:18:53fell in love

00:18:55with the UConn

00:18:56undefeated team.

00:18:58That 95 team

00:18:59was America's darlings.

00:19:01They attracted

00:19:03these mainstream outlets

00:19:04in a way

00:19:05that I'm not sure

00:19:06we had

00:19:07in women's basketball

00:19:08before

00:19:08and Rebecca Lobo

00:19:10was the face of that.

00:19:11The attention

00:19:12that our 1995 team got

00:19:14especially being located

00:19:15in Connecticut

00:19:16in ESPN's backyard.

00:19:17There's regular highlights

00:19:19on SportsCenter.

00:19:20A moment which will

00:19:21live forever

00:19:21at Connecticut.

00:19:22The women topping

00:19:23Tennessee yesterday

00:19:24and Connecticut

00:19:24is a unanimous pick

00:19:26for number one

00:19:26first time in school history.

00:19:27Tennessee drops to two.

00:19:28But I really believe

00:19:30what put us over the top

00:19:32was a gentleman

00:19:33named Frank Litsky

00:19:34was a writer

00:19:35for the New York Times.

00:19:36He was a UConn grad.

00:19:38And he decides

00:19:39to come to a game

00:19:40and writes a story

00:19:41about UConn basketball.

00:19:43This is the New York Times

00:19:45before the internet,

00:19:46before social media.

00:19:48One of my first memories

00:19:49of the UConn program

00:19:51was the New York Times

00:19:52started to do

00:19:53like some sort of

00:19:54like follow diary thing.

00:19:56and my dad

00:19:57was showing me

00:19:58those articles.

00:19:59It gave me a little bit

00:20:00of a see it, be it moment.

00:20:02So we became

00:20:03a national story

00:20:04where the entire country

00:20:06and people that never

00:20:08used to talk about the game,

00:20:09never used to write

00:20:09about the game,

00:20:11wanted to be part

00:20:12of the game.

00:20:12Lobo goes to work

00:20:13in the lane

00:20:14and a beautiful shot

00:20:15on a spin move.

00:20:18UConn has won

00:20:19the national championship.

00:20:22And they've done it

00:20:23in perfect fashion

00:20:24at 35 and all.

00:20:27It became bigger

00:20:28than what we ever thought.

00:20:31I know that team

00:20:32still resonates

00:20:33very strongly.

00:20:34I walk down the street

00:20:35with Rebecca Lobo,

00:20:36we get stopped.

00:20:37Hey, Rebecca Lobo!

00:20:39Like, every time.

00:20:41What our UConn team

00:20:42did in 95,

00:20:43I think really helped

00:20:45bolster confidence

00:20:46in investing

00:20:47in the 96 Olympic team.

00:20:51Going back to 1996,

00:20:54we lost in the previous

00:20:56Olympics in Barcelona

00:20:57and then we were hosting

00:20:59the 96 in Atlanta

00:21:01so we couldn't get it wrong.

00:21:02Good job, Ruthie!

00:21:04No turning your back, Teresa!

00:21:0696 was the only time

00:21:08that USA Basketball

00:21:09has trained for a year

00:21:11for the Olympics.

00:21:14It's not about bronze,

00:21:15it's not about silver,

00:21:16it's about gold.

00:21:18We were doing it

00:21:19for the future of the game.

00:21:21We knew it,

00:21:21but we didn't speak on it.

00:21:24I don't think there were

00:21:2512 athletes more built

00:21:27for that pressure

00:21:28and to kind of show everybody

00:21:29what professional basketball

00:21:31can look like.

00:21:33We had a sisterhood

00:21:34the way Tara Vanderveer

00:21:36coached us,

00:21:38forced us to build

00:21:39the chemistry that we have.

00:21:40It was a bond

00:21:42that was created

00:21:42through great friendship,

00:21:45great hardship,

00:21:46and then great results.

00:21:47What time is it?

00:21:49It's time!

00:21:50When I look at Olympic teams,

00:21:52right,

00:21:52I look at me,

00:21:53Dawn, and Lisa.

00:21:54The three of us

00:21:55had such a great chemistry.

00:21:57We were trying to grow

00:21:58the game of women's basketball.

00:22:02We just brought

00:22:03something different

00:22:04that the game

00:22:06really hadn't seen.

00:22:07It was about entertaining.

00:22:08Once upon a time,

00:22:09three girls went to rock steady

00:22:11for a pickup game.

00:22:12Yo!

00:22:13We got Nick!

00:22:14Lisa is the center

00:22:14of U.S. women's basketball team.

00:22:16Cheryl's a forward,

00:22:17Dawn's a point guard.

00:22:19From a culture standpoint,

00:22:21you know,

00:22:21Spike Lee and all of them

00:22:22began to accept these players

00:22:24as great basketball players

00:22:26and people.

00:22:27You know,

00:22:28those are some of the best commercials

00:22:29I think out there,

00:22:30and it really changed things

00:22:32for women's basketball.

00:22:35The collective star power

00:22:37of that roster

00:22:38really got the most attention

00:22:40we've ever seen

00:22:40a women's sports team get.

00:22:42The USA women's

00:22:43Olympic basketball team.

00:22:46Yes!

00:22:49God, we were all over

00:22:50doing commercials,

00:22:52live TV,

00:22:53or being on the Martin Show.

00:22:56Everybody was getting

00:22:57a taste of it.

00:22:58Let the games begin!

00:23:00It was really

00:23:01the year of the woman.

00:23:03We gonna win!

00:23:04It was fantastic.

00:23:10You know,

00:23:10to win the gold medal game

00:23:12by 30 points

00:23:12against Brazil

00:23:13in front of millions

00:23:14around the world,

00:23:17I think the 96 team light

00:23:19shined on the sport

00:23:20that was already

00:23:22incredible and growing,

00:23:23but just never had

00:23:24the profile.

00:23:25I'm looking at Jen Azee,

00:23:27and I'm like,

00:23:27okay,

00:23:28like,

00:23:28I look like her.

00:23:29She's doing this.

00:23:30Maybe one day

00:23:31I could be on

00:23:31the national team.

00:23:32Maybe one day

00:23:33I could be on the NBA.

00:23:35It was a moment

00:23:36in time

00:23:37that was a snapshot

00:23:38of what could be.

00:23:48The legendary

00:23:49Dawn Staley

00:23:50was at the Mitchell

00:23:51and Ness flagship store

00:23:52this afternoon.

00:23:53Dozens anxiously

00:23:54waited in line

00:23:55outside the store

00:23:56with basketball gear

00:23:57in hand

00:23:57to get signed.

00:23:58And who's this for?

00:23:59Ben.

00:24:00Ben?

00:24:01Ben.

00:24:01All right.

00:24:02Yes.

00:24:02He loves coming

00:24:03to your game.

00:24:04Thank you so much.

00:24:05You're awesome.

00:24:06If you want it

00:24:06on the front,

00:24:07you can get it

00:24:07on the front.

00:24:08On the front?

00:24:09Yeah.

00:24:09All right.

00:24:10Thank you for everything

00:24:10you can do

00:24:11for the game of basketball.

00:24:12No problem.

00:24:12Good luck.

00:24:13You've had obviously

00:24:14here like five times.

00:24:15Uh-huh.

00:24:15I've never seen

00:24:16it turn out like this.

00:24:17For real?

00:24:17I'm trying to guess.

00:24:18This is crazy down the block.

00:24:19Is it?

00:24:20Down the block?

00:24:21Down the block.

00:24:21I got to go

00:24:23check it out, though.

00:24:24I am going to go

00:24:24check it out.

00:24:25Appreciate your existence.

00:24:27I don't think

00:24:27we were expecting

00:24:28all these people,

00:24:29are we?

00:24:30Look at the Philly love.

00:24:32It's...

00:24:40I love you,

00:24:41and you're the best

00:24:42coach in the world.

00:24:43Oh, thank you.

00:24:47Thank you all.

00:24:49Safe travels, too.

00:24:51What y'all need?

00:24:55When I won

00:24:56my first gold medal,

00:24:58you have to think

00:24:59about this.

00:25:00I grew up in the

00:25:01projects in North Philly.

00:25:02You know,

00:25:03we are not supposed

00:25:05to win something

00:25:06as big as a gold medal.

00:25:08A common favor.

00:25:09Leave your own favor.

00:25:11So I realized

00:25:11there is hope.

00:25:13Your dreams can come true

00:25:14when you pour into,

00:25:16you know,

00:25:17your passion.

00:25:18I'm going to try

00:25:19to get to these people

00:25:19who done came out here.

00:25:23When we won

00:25:24gold medal in 96,

00:25:25we built a lot of momentum

00:25:27and a lot of publicity,

00:25:28creating something historic.

00:25:30You represent Philly, girl.

00:25:32That's right.

00:25:32Oh, yeah.

00:25:33Now that I look back on it,

00:25:35we were building momentum

00:25:36for women's basketball

00:25:38to be a lifestyle

00:25:39and a profession

00:25:40and a profession

00:25:41that was truly overdue.

00:25:43If you've ever

00:25:44wanted something so bad

00:25:47and you saw it sitting

00:25:49right in front of you

00:25:50for the first time,

00:25:53it wasn't just a dream.

00:25:56Women of the hoop,

00:25:57and I'm not talking about

00:25:57the hoop skirt either.

00:25:59Good jump shot

00:25:59would have been impossible

00:26:00in such a garment,

00:26:01of course,

00:26:02and the ABL

00:26:03would have been out

00:26:03of the question altogether.

00:26:05Hit!

00:26:06Hit!

00:26:07We're on!

00:26:08Hit!

00:26:09Going back to 1996,

00:26:11we find out that

00:26:13there will be

00:26:14two professional leagues.

00:26:15One was the ABL

00:26:17and the other one

00:26:17was the WNBA.

00:26:18Don Staley,

00:26:20all 5'6'' of her,

00:26:21is one of the founders

00:26:22and stars

00:26:23of the Women's

00:26:24American Basketball League.

00:26:25The ABL was the first

00:26:26pro-independent

00:26:28basketball league for women.

00:26:29It got off the ground

00:26:30a couple years prior

00:26:31to the WNBA.

00:26:33The ABL was fun,

00:26:35it was exciting,

00:26:36it was exhilarating.

00:26:37The fans were crazy.

00:26:39They loved us.

00:26:42We're hoping that the ABL

00:26:44will allow little girls

00:26:45who dream of playing

00:26:46professional basketball

00:26:47to attain that dream.

00:26:49Then the WNBA

00:26:51is going to start

00:26:51and because they have

00:26:52the weight of the NBA

00:26:54and David Stern

00:26:55behind them,

00:26:56that's going to be

00:26:57the league that succeeds.

00:27:00The WNBA had

00:27:01the marketing juice,

00:27:02they had the TV contracts

00:27:03of this extremely successful

00:27:05established league.

00:27:07So you have to kind of imagine

00:27:08that the writing

00:27:09was on the wall.

00:27:11I will always give credit

00:27:13to the ABL

00:27:14because it was good competition.

00:27:15It went crazy when it failed.

00:27:18Back then I had a beeper

00:27:19and my beeper

00:27:21was going off

00:27:22like crazy

00:27:23because then we had to

00:27:24now bring all those players

00:27:25over to the WNBA.

00:27:29Unfortunately,

00:27:29we couldn't have the ABL

00:27:30and the WNBA together.

00:27:32So, you know,

00:27:33once we all joined forces

00:27:35in the WNBA,

00:27:36it certainly uplifted

00:27:38the WNBA.

00:27:39There have been three leagues

00:27:41that have tried and failed.

00:27:42What's different in 1997?

00:27:43Well, we think we're

00:27:44in a different time

00:27:45and place now

00:27:46and that the timing

00:27:46just couldn't be better

00:27:47for us to launch the league.

00:27:49We're benefiting

00:27:49from an extremely successful

00:27:51women's Olympic team program.

00:27:52Now we've got the benefit

00:27:53of support from the NBA,

00:27:55from national television arrangements.

00:27:57So we think the timing

00:27:58couldn't be better

00:27:58and we have very high hopes

00:27:59for the future of the sport.

00:28:01Are American men ready for this?

00:28:03I don't know,

00:28:03but if they're not,

00:28:04they better get ready.

00:28:06There were the biggest names

00:28:08on the biggest teams.

00:28:09Becca Lobo,

00:28:11Cheryl Swoops,

00:28:12Lisa Leslie.

00:28:14The energy around the WNBA

00:28:15was incredible.

00:28:17What I remember

00:28:18is the We Got Next ads.

00:28:20You couldn't really watch

00:28:21a sporting event

00:28:21without seeing one of those ads.

00:28:23But the league was really interested

00:28:25in marketing

00:28:26a certain kind of player.

00:28:27Rebecca Lobo is a player

00:28:29for New York Liberty.

00:28:30Rebecca Lobo was this white

00:28:33girl next door,

00:28:34feminine presenting,

00:28:35heterosexual,

00:28:37and kind of smiling

00:28:37for the camera.

00:28:39And also mothers

00:28:41were a big kind of main event

00:28:43for the league.

00:28:44And the Cheryl Swoops pregnancy

00:28:46rewrote history.

00:28:48The Houston Comets

00:28:50has won their fourth great

00:28:51WNBA championship.

00:28:56The WNBA started

00:28:58and we had these great

00:28:59first few seasons

00:29:00and then it did kind of diminish.

00:29:05You know,

00:29:05the initial team

00:29:06is these American sweethearts

00:29:09and darlings

00:29:09and then you get to the league

00:29:11and the rosters get filled out

00:29:12and it's a lot of gay women.

00:29:15So racism,

00:29:16misogyny,

00:29:17homophobia,

00:29:18those are all real reasons

00:29:20why the WNBA

00:29:22declined in popularity.

00:29:23It just exploded

00:29:24and then it went away.

00:29:25It lost its place

00:29:27in the consciousness

00:29:29of a lot of people.

00:29:30It's just kind of inconceivable

00:29:32to think about starting out

00:29:33with the kind of energy

00:29:34and juice that the WNBA had

00:29:35and fumbling that.

00:29:37A lot of momentum

00:29:39was lost at a time

00:29:40when it could have been

00:29:40sustained and grown.

00:29:42And I think the current moment

00:29:43we're in,

00:29:44this boom time,

00:29:45could have happened

00:29:45a long time ago

00:29:47if the right people

00:29:48had kind of stayed with it.

00:29:50We can't let that happen again

00:29:52where the mania

00:29:53for women's basketball

00:29:54just kind of dissipates.

00:29:57We got to build on it now.

00:29:58That's our responsibility.

00:30:02Welcome to ESPN's

00:30:04Sonic Blockbuster.

00:30:05Between number 11 UConn

00:30:06and number one

00:30:07undefeated South Carolina,

00:30:09it's a matchup

00:30:10just jumping

00:30:11with many of the best players

00:30:12in college basketball today.

00:30:14Not to mention

00:30:15two of the greatest coaches,

00:30:16Don Staley

00:30:17and Gino Auriemma.

00:30:18What's up, Gino?

00:30:20You good?

00:30:20You gotta get one

00:30:21of those outfits.

00:30:22Ah!

00:30:24What's up?

00:30:26Coach Auriemma

00:30:26is the standard.

00:30:28You can pretend

00:30:29somebody else is,

00:30:30but 11 national championships,

00:30:3214 consecutive final fours,

00:30:34111 games in a row

00:30:36is the standard.

00:30:38You know,

00:30:39it's interesting

00:30:39because a lot of people

00:30:41when they hear that

00:30:42I've gone to UConn,

00:30:43they're like,

00:30:44oh, you know,

00:30:4411 national championships.

00:30:46But when my class got there

00:30:47for the fall of 98,

00:30:48we'd only had one.

00:30:50They had one in 95,

00:30:52but then they hadn't gone.

00:30:53And then,

00:30:54now we have this class.

00:30:55It was myself,

00:30:56Swin Cash,

00:30:57Tamika Williams,

00:30:58and Asia Jones.

00:31:00And then you start,

00:31:01you know,

00:31:01getting Diana Taurasi

00:31:02from California.

00:31:03So when I look back

00:31:04at my four years,

00:31:05it was about

00:31:07reestablishing

00:31:07this program

00:31:09where, you know,

00:31:10ultimately it became

00:31:11the dominant program

00:31:12that it was.

00:31:13When you think of UConn,

00:31:14you think of domination.

00:31:15Domination, that's it.

00:31:16They just kept winning.

00:31:18I mean,

00:31:18it was unbelievable.

00:31:20I truly feel like

00:31:21we'll never see anything

00:31:22like that again

00:31:22in women's college basketball.

00:31:24The national championship

00:31:25goes to Kimi Apkins

00:31:26for the fourth year in a row!

00:31:30Geno truly is

00:31:31in a league of his own

00:31:33and he's got

00:31:34the rings to prove it.

00:31:40Don Staley was an assistant

00:31:42on some of

00:31:42Gina Auriemma's

00:31:43Olympic teams

00:31:44where he was the head coach.

00:31:45I'm sure she would say

00:31:46she's learned from him.

00:31:48But trust me,

00:31:49there is some Philly in there.

00:31:50There's some FU in there.

00:31:53I think both of them

00:31:54being from the Philly area,

00:31:56I think there's a toughness there.

00:31:57I think there's a very

00:31:58realness there.

00:31:59I think both of them

00:32:00are kind of

00:32:00no bullshit people.

00:32:02Push it down their throat.

00:32:05Keep running.

00:32:06Rim the rim.

00:32:08Rim the rim, okay?

00:32:12And South Carolina

00:32:14wins the opening tip.

00:32:15Raven Johnson

00:32:16with a pull-up.

00:32:17Follows her own miss.

00:32:19Off the window,

00:32:20around and out.

00:32:20You made your line up

00:32:22to shoot that jumper.

00:32:23You got Ashley coming

00:32:24right down the pipe.

00:32:26Drop it off to her!

00:32:27The intensity level

00:32:28that Dawn has

00:32:29on the sideline

00:32:30and that her teams display,

00:32:33that's a direct

00:32:34correlation to when she played.

00:32:36That's who she is

00:32:37as a person.

00:32:39Dawn doesn't take

00:32:40the backseat

00:32:41to anybody about anything.

00:32:43Here comes UConn.

00:32:45It's what South Carolina

00:32:46fears most.

00:32:49Pow!

00:32:52I said pow!

00:32:55You know, Dawn would bring

00:32:56her South Carolina teams

00:32:58to UConn.

00:32:59I remember the kids

00:33:00coming in to shoot around

00:33:01and kind of looking up

00:33:02at all the banners

00:33:03and I vividly remember

00:33:04that moment

00:33:05of South Carolina

00:33:07taking it all in

00:33:08and Dawn Staley saying,

00:33:10I want them to see

00:33:12where we're trying to go.

00:33:15Here's Becker's got it.

00:33:16He's got it mid-range.

00:33:17He has four.

00:33:20Get your ass over there!

00:33:25Right back at it.

00:33:26UConn turns it.

00:33:28Arnold with the step.

00:33:29And a blocked

00:33:30from out of nowhere

00:33:31by Watkins.

00:33:32Pow Pow steps back.

00:33:34And knocks down

00:33:36another one.

00:33:37Sticker.

00:33:38Sticker, Pow!

00:33:39South Carolina

00:33:41rolls to victory

00:33:42over UConn.

00:33:44Good job.

00:33:44You know, thank you.

00:33:45Appreciate it.

00:33:45You feel it.

00:33:46It's a best team

00:33:46you've had to see.

00:33:47Appreciate it.

00:33:48What you've seen

00:33:49with South Carolina

00:33:50and UConn

00:33:50with Dawn and Coach Ariyama

00:33:53is UConn's

00:33:54the measuring stick.

00:33:55And I think we are

00:33:56currently in that moment

00:33:58of that changeover.

00:34:02It's interesting, right?

00:34:03Everybody else

00:34:04is coming for that standard.

00:34:07Who is it right now?

00:34:08Well, of course,

00:34:08it's Dawn Staley.

00:34:10So I would imagine

00:34:11like the dynamic

00:34:13maybe it's similar

00:34:14to when Coach first started

00:34:16and Pat Summitt

00:34:17was the standard.

00:34:19You can't ever forget

00:34:20about Pat Summitt.

00:34:21Let me tell you,

00:34:22she has an incredibly

00:34:23successful record

00:34:24at Tennessee.

00:34:25Pat had a huge impact

00:34:27on the growth

00:34:28of women's basketball,

00:34:29setting the standard

00:34:30for how things can be done.

00:34:31Eight national championships.

00:34:33Incredible.

00:34:34And to do it

00:34:35with such incredible class.

00:34:37She's been to the Summit

00:34:38three times now.

00:34:39With Baby in tow,

00:34:41she's a champion again.

00:34:43She was tough

00:34:44and stern

00:34:45and caring

00:34:46and loving

00:34:46for her players.

00:34:47No nonsense.

00:34:49Kind of all of the traits

00:34:50that great male coaches

00:34:51had at the time.

00:34:53And she showed

00:34:54that you could be

00:34:54a strong, powerful,

00:34:56classy woman

00:34:57doing those same things

00:34:59in a woman's sport.

00:35:01Tennessee,

00:35:02they were the standard.

00:35:03They were winning

00:35:03all the national championships,

00:35:04right?

00:35:05And what do you have to do

00:35:06to get there?

00:35:06You have to beat them.

00:35:07Early on at ESPN,

00:35:09when Williams College Basketball

00:35:10was just getting started

00:35:11on television,

00:35:12our wonderful programming exec,

00:35:13Carol Stiff,

00:35:14wanted to make this rivalry

00:35:15with UConn

00:35:17and North Carolina.

00:35:18And North Carolina

00:35:19said no.

00:35:20She called Pat

00:35:21and Pat said,

00:35:22of course.

00:35:23Pat Summitt said,

00:35:24for the good of the game,

00:35:25we will play UConn.

00:35:27And this rivalry is born.

00:35:29A very talented lineup

00:35:30for Pat Summitt.

00:35:32And they will go up

00:35:33against Gino Auriemma's Huskies.

00:35:35That game probably

00:35:36is still one of the great moments

00:35:38in the history

00:35:39of UConn basketball.

00:35:40Zoddy looking for three.

00:35:42And nails it.

00:35:43For the first time

00:35:44in school history,

00:35:46they have to beat it.

00:35:48The previously unbeaten

00:35:50Tennessee Lady Bulls.

00:35:52Not just the way

00:35:53the game was played

00:35:54and the fact that we won,

00:35:55but the aftermath

00:35:56when a half an hour later,

00:35:58they're trying to clear

00:35:59the building

00:36:00because nobody

00:36:00left their seat.

00:36:02It became the biggest,

00:36:03best rivalry

00:36:04in all of women's sports.

00:36:06Not just women's

00:36:06college basketball.

00:36:07All of women's sports.

00:36:08That rivalry may have done

00:36:10more for women's

00:36:11college basketball

00:36:12than anything else.

00:36:13They had some of the

00:36:14best players ever

00:36:15to play college basketball.

00:36:16We had some of the

00:36:17best players ever.

00:36:18Garazi, he's.

00:36:20Can't play with Candace Park

00:36:21because he's pretty much

00:36:22the only player on the floor

00:36:24who can elevate

00:36:24and catch that ball.

00:36:26If there was only

00:36:27one women's game

00:36:27in any bar in America,

00:36:29that was going to be it.

00:36:30Gino is the standard.

00:36:33Pat Summitt is always

00:36:34my North Star.

00:36:35But, you know,

00:36:36there has been

00:36:36a little bit of a

00:36:37changing of the guard.

00:36:51Champ?

00:36:52Good?

00:36:54Mm-hmm.

00:37:16All black will work any day.

00:37:19If I got some type

00:37:21of color on,

00:37:22I probably have thought

00:37:23about it.

00:37:25It's T-shirt day today,

00:37:27so it's a little bit easier.

00:37:28Senior day,

00:37:29we just trade tribute

00:37:30to them by putting

00:37:31their faces on

00:37:32senior T-shirts.

00:37:34So, I had that out,

00:37:36had that out,

00:37:37but it's raining,

00:37:40and these don't really

00:37:42operate well in the rain.

00:37:44What we play,

00:37:44we play Tennessee,

00:37:46so I can wear navy

00:37:49because that's not

00:37:50their color.

00:37:51That might work.

00:37:53Then you got to figure

00:37:54out shoes,

00:37:55and that's a hardship there.

00:37:57Things need to work.

00:37:58I hope I didn't wear

00:37:59this before.

00:38:00I don't think so.

00:38:02Something on top.

00:38:04I have a garnet sweater.

00:38:07I have a garnet sweater.

00:38:09That's not this.

00:38:15Boom.

00:38:16I knew it.

00:38:21Might be it.

00:38:22Tied all together.

00:38:24Game day finished.

00:38:25Activated.

00:38:27Come here.

00:38:29Come here, Camilla.

00:38:30Kima, come here.

00:38:31Pow.

00:38:32Go in the front, Pow.

00:38:33Senior day,

00:38:34it's a bittersweet moment.

00:38:36There's probably

00:38:37going to be some tears.

00:38:39It's their day.

00:38:40We want to honor them.

00:38:45King.

00:38:46Love you, King.

00:38:48King, go around

00:38:49and take a picture.

00:38:53Camilla!

00:38:55And I know

00:38:55that our fans

00:38:56are going to show out.

00:38:58We've put out

00:38:59nothing but positivity

00:39:01for our athletics department,

00:39:04our university,

00:39:05this city,

00:39:06and this state.

00:39:06So when we needed them

00:39:08the most

00:39:09to send the energy back,

00:39:12it came back

00:39:13in a positive way.

00:39:19When Dawn Staley

00:39:20took the job

00:39:21at South Carolina,

00:39:21I remember thinking,

00:39:23what?

00:39:24I remember

00:39:25my grandmother

00:39:25was watching the news

00:39:26and I see this

00:39:27little short lady

00:39:28with a bust-down middle part

00:39:29coming from Temple

00:39:30from Philly

00:39:32and they're like,

00:39:33yeah, she's the next

00:39:33women's basketball coach.

00:39:35I don't think anyone

00:39:37thought South Carolina

00:39:39could be

00:39:39what they are today.

00:39:41For Coach Staley,

00:39:42what was she up against?

00:39:43Like, I would imagine

00:39:44someone standing

00:39:44at the bottom of Everest.

00:39:46When I first got

00:39:47to South Carolina,

00:39:47it was a build.

00:39:49You get yourselves

00:39:50close to another game

00:39:51and then the sky

00:39:52is a nook from there.

00:39:55South Carolina,

00:39:56the only undefeated team.

00:39:58They are dominating opponents.

00:40:00If I'm not mistaken,

00:40:01they were about

00:40:02100 to 200 people a game.

00:40:05Now they're at 15,000,

00:40:0618,000.

00:40:07You know,

00:40:08they are going crazy

00:40:09in South Carolina.

00:40:14Fifth sellout

00:40:15of the season,

00:40:16a South Carolina

00:40:17single season record

00:40:18and they are ready

00:40:19to take on Tennessee.

00:40:21the South Carolinians

00:40:23that poured into

00:40:24our program

00:40:25in a way

00:40:26that is quite unimaginable.

00:40:29Like, we are

00:40:30the epicenter

00:40:31of women's basketball.

00:40:33We are what

00:40:34every other program

00:40:36across the country

00:40:37is striving for.

00:40:39The success,

00:40:40the attendance,

00:40:43we're entertaining.

00:40:45I think if you look

00:40:46at the trajectory

00:40:47of Pat Summitt

00:40:48and what she built

00:40:49at Tennessee

00:40:49and you look

00:40:50at the trajectory

00:40:50of what Don Staley

00:40:51built at South Carolina,

00:40:52there's a lot

00:40:53of parallels.

00:40:54Pat put fans

00:40:55in the seats.

00:40:55Pat won at a high level.

00:40:57She got paid

00:40:58a million dollars.

00:40:59Don Staley's getting paid

00:41:00four million dollars

00:41:01a year now.

00:41:02If anything good

00:41:03that comes out

00:41:03of our game today,

00:41:05I probably think

00:41:08we probably deserve

00:41:09a little bit more.

00:41:09So let's fight

00:41:10for a little bit more.

00:41:12Know our worth.

00:41:12really understand

00:41:14and know our worth,

00:41:16not just take

00:41:17what people give us.

00:41:20No one has been able

00:41:22to stop South Carolina.

00:41:2429 and 0 feels

00:41:25pretty good

00:41:26for the Gamecocks.

00:41:29I love what

00:41:30Don Staley represents.

00:41:32To be the highest paid

00:41:34coach in women's basketball.

00:41:36And she's a black woman

00:41:38from Philadelphia.

00:41:39That shit

00:41:40means something.

00:41:42You have a

00:41:43black woman

00:41:47standing on the logo

00:41:49of Colonial Life Arena.

00:41:52Like, just thinking

00:41:54about South Carolina

00:41:55and all the history

00:41:57of South Carolina,

00:41:57all the history

00:41:58of the South in general.

00:42:00When Don took the job,

00:42:03the Confederate flag

00:42:04flew on the line

00:42:06of the state capitol.

00:42:08And I think Don

00:42:10is one that

00:42:13takes on a challenge,

00:42:14especially if somebody

00:42:16tells her

00:42:17it's something

00:42:18that she can't do.

00:42:20She's going to

00:42:20prove you wrong.

00:42:27Hello, y'all.

00:42:29Hey.

00:42:30What's up?

00:42:33How you doing?

00:42:34Good.

00:42:35And now,

00:42:36the introduction

00:42:37of today's

00:42:38starting lineups,

00:42:40at forward,

00:42:41a 6'2 senior

00:42:41number 12,

00:42:42Joyce Edwards.

00:42:51How important

00:42:52was Don

00:42:53as a recruiter?

00:42:55Well,

00:42:56she's the closer.

00:42:58She's the one

00:42:59that has to bring it home

00:43:00because 9.9

00:43:03out of players,

00:43:04they want to play

00:43:05for her.

00:43:06Joyce Edwards

00:43:08should be the

00:43:09antler for Camden.

00:43:11Joyce Edwards.

00:43:13Tiffany Mitchell,

00:43:15our first kid,

00:43:15she had a life-size

00:43:16poster of Don

00:43:17because she would

00:43:18play with the sting,

00:43:18right?

00:43:19They want to be

00:43:20All-Americans,

00:43:21they want to be

00:43:21national championships,

00:43:22they want to be

00:43:22Olympians.

00:43:23It's viable to them

00:43:24every day.

00:43:25It's touchable.

00:43:25They can see it.

00:43:26Joyce Edwards.

00:43:28You've got to

00:43:28understand,

00:43:29when Don started,

00:43:31South Carolina

00:43:31wasn't the hotbed

00:43:32of women's basketball

00:43:34and how she built it

00:43:36was, number one,

00:43:38getting local kids.

00:43:40But we have been

00:43:41very fortunate

00:43:42in that we've had

00:43:43some of the best talent

00:43:45in the country

00:43:46right here

00:43:47in Columbia,

00:43:48South Carolina.

00:43:51We got Tiff Mitchell

00:43:53and we started

00:43:53having a little more

00:43:54success,

00:43:55but then we got Asia

00:43:57and we never

00:43:58looked back

00:43:59after that.

00:44:04It's crazy.

00:44:05Being a local kid,

00:44:06Coach Daly

00:44:07and just who she is

00:44:08and her demeanor,

00:44:09she never really

00:44:10shook from that.

00:44:11She was like,

00:44:11I'm trusting you

00:44:12to take us

00:44:12to the promised land.

00:44:13And then that's

00:44:14when she got Tiff

00:44:15and when Tiff got there,

00:44:16it was just a shift

00:44:17of energy.

00:44:17You could tell

00:44:18kind of with our class,

00:44:19it was like,

00:44:20that's the missing piece.

00:44:21We were the piece

00:44:22that made it all

00:44:24come together,

00:44:24but we can't be a piece

00:44:26if we didn't have

00:44:26the biggest pieces

00:44:27before us.

00:44:28Then Asia Wilson

00:44:28says yes.

00:44:29And on down

00:44:30that line

00:44:31of people

00:44:31who have taken

00:44:32a chance

00:44:33on Don Staley.

00:44:34And now,

00:44:35now you're praying

00:44:37that Don Staley

00:44:38is going to take

00:44:38a chance on you.

00:44:44I'm a dream merchant

00:44:46for our players.

00:44:47Like,

00:44:48they,

00:44:49I'm responsible

00:44:50for them

00:44:51and their careers.

00:44:52I feel that,

00:44:53I take on that.

00:44:53I do

00:44:54because that's

00:44:55why they come

00:44:56play for me

00:44:57because they,

00:44:58they know.

00:44:59They know

00:45:00I take that

00:45:01very,

00:45:02very seriously.

00:45:05It's something

00:45:05truly special.

00:45:06Staying home

00:45:07and where Coach Daley

00:45:08was,

00:45:08was it.

00:45:09And to see

00:45:09the next generation

00:45:10stay home

00:45:11and thrive in that

00:45:13and trust,

00:45:13and trust Coach Daley,

00:45:14it warms my heart up.

00:45:16You all right?

00:45:17You all right?

00:45:18You all right?

00:45:21Look at that one.

00:45:22Let's get that game ball.

00:45:24You know,

00:45:24she talks about

00:45:25being a dream merchant

00:45:26and watching her coach,

00:45:28her players.

00:45:29She is so hard on them

00:45:31but she loves them

00:45:33and knows how great

00:45:35they can be.

00:45:36And I think

00:45:37that's how she sees

00:45:38the game of basketball.

00:45:40She sees how great

00:45:42this game can be

00:45:43and she has a vision

00:45:44for it.

00:45:47We got you now.

00:45:48We got you now.

00:45:49We got you now.

00:45:50We got you now.

00:45:51Winning isn't

00:45:52personal to me.

00:45:54It's more beneficial

00:45:55to everything

00:45:57that I represent.

00:46:00I never get tired

00:46:01of telling this story.

00:46:02When I was coaching

00:46:03at Tennessee

00:46:04in 95,

00:46:05we went to the championship

00:46:07but we lost.

00:46:09The very next year,

00:46:10I went to Kentucky.

00:46:11I was at the final four

00:46:12when Tennessee won

00:46:13the championship

00:46:14and Passion Thompson,

00:46:16when she climbed the ladder,

00:46:17she cut two pieces down

00:46:18and handed me

00:46:19a piece of the net

00:46:20and she said,

00:46:21Coach Beck,

00:46:21I want you to keep this

00:46:22until you win

00:46:24one of your own.

00:46:25And Purdue is

00:46:2934-1

00:46:30and national champion.

00:46:33When I won

00:46:33the championship

00:46:34in 99,

00:46:35had a reporter

00:46:36come up to me

00:46:36and ask me,

00:46:37Carolyn,

00:46:37how does it feel

00:46:38to be the first black coach

00:46:39to win a national championship?

00:46:42I had never thought

00:46:43about it.

00:46:44If I was the first,

00:46:45that meant

00:46:46there was going

00:46:47to be a second.

00:46:49I felt like

00:46:50Dawn was going

00:46:51to do it.

00:46:51She's got it

00:46:53to win a championship.

00:46:54And I thought,

00:46:55this is going

00:46:55to be the opportunity

00:46:56and since I was the first,

00:46:59she was going

00:46:59to be the next.

00:47:00And I gave her the net

00:47:01and I said,

00:47:02now you just keep this

00:47:03until you win

00:47:04one of your own.

00:47:05It was a process

00:47:06that did not happen

00:47:07overnight.

00:47:08It didn't happen

00:47:08anywhere near as fast

00:47:09as she or I wanted it.

00:47:11It took a lot longer

00:47:12than we thought.

00:47:13If you're not winning

00:47:14when you're used

00:47:14to winning,

00:47:15you've got to imagine,

00:47:16Dawn won.

00:47:17She won at Virginia.

00:47:18She won with USA Basketball.

00:47:20Then she goes

00:47:21to South Carolina

00:47:21where there's 25 people

00:47:23in the arena

00:47:23and she's getting hammered.

00:47:25She has a will

00:47:26to win

00:47:27and she has the ability

00:47:29to put a will

00:47:30to win in others.

00:47:33In 2016,

00:47:34we shared a car.

00:47:35Dawn looks

00:47:36in her wallet

00:47:36and she pulled

00:47:37out the net.

00:47:38She goes,

00:47:38you see,

00:47:39I carry it with me

00:47:39everywhere I go.

00:47:412017 came around

00:47:43and I can remember

00:47:45it like it was yesterday.

00:47:46We're watching the game

00:47:48and as it gets closer

00:47:50to the end,

00:47:51I'm like,

00:47:52y'all,

00:47:52she's going to do it.

00:47:53We had a sense

00:47:54of like,

00:47:55this is us.

00:47:56It's our year.

00:47:57Like,

00:47:57we need to go do this.

00:47:58And, you know,

00:47:59we're boo-hooing

00:48:00and Dawn is like

00:48:03super stoic, right?

00:48:04I mean,

00:48:05she was happy

00:48:05but, you know,

00:48:06super stoic.

00:48:08And I remember

00:48:09I was in her room.

00:48:10It was like

00:48:102 o'clock in the morning.

00:48:11It was just her and I

00:48:12and I looked at her

00:48:13and I said,

00:48:14now what?

00:48:15What do we do now?

00:48:18We're going to win

00:48:18another one for you.

00:48:22Winning that championship

00:48:23in 2022,

00:48:24I feel like it still

00:48:25brings back chills

00:48:26because that's

00:48:28what you dream of.

00:48:29You dream of going

00:48:29to college.

00:48:30You dream of winning

00:48:30a national championship

00:48:31and I think

00:48:33winning against UConn

00:48:35elevated it

00:48:35because UConn

00:48:37has been this top program.

00:48:41South Carolina's a dynasty

00:48:42and Coach Daley

00:48:43has built something

00:48:44so strong,

00:48:45something so powerful

00:48:46that people want

00:48:47to be a part of it.

00:48:48Our national championship

00:48:49wins will never leave me.

00:48:51I represent black people

00:48:53who don't often get

00:48:54opportunity

00:48:55to be successful

00:48:57on the highest stage.

00:48:58You know,

00:48:59I'm going to have to

00:48:59pass a piece of my net

00:49:01on to somebody else

00:49:02so they can share

00:49:05and hopefully accomplish

00:49:07something as big as this.

00:49:08A few years after that,

00:49:10we met each other again

00:49:11and she said,

00:49:12I got something for you.

00:49:14So she had the piece

00:49:15of the net

00:49:15that I gave her

00:49:16and she returned it

00:49:18back to me

00:49:18and she asked me,

00:49:19she's like,

00:49:20okay,

00:49:20who are we giving

00:49:21the next one to?

00:49:22And so she took her net

00:49:24and divided it

00:49:25and gave it to

00:49:26all the black coaches.

00:49:27And I was like,

00:49:28well,

00:49:29that's taking it

00:49:29to another level.

00:49:32When she gave

00:49:33out the net,

00:49:34you know,

00:49:34that brought attention

00:49:35to all the other

00:49:37African-American coaches

00:49:38out there.

00:49:39You've created

00:49:39a lane for us

00:49:40and it's very powerful

00:49:41and inspiring

00:49:42and I want to thank you

00:49:43from the bottom of my heart.

00:49:44Keep shining,

00:49:45Queen,

00:49:46and good luck to everyone.

00:49:47Dawn Silley's gesture

00:49:48of cutting out

00:49:49a piece of her net

00:49:50from winning

00:49:51the national championship

00:49:52was really,

00:49:53was amazing.

00:49:55She knows

00:49:55that it's bigger

00:49:55than basketball.

00:49:57It's about

00:49:57paying it forward

00:49:58so others can also

00:50:00be inspired

00:50:00and be successful.

00:50:01I'm just really appreciative

00:50:02of her mentorship

00:50:03and her leadership.

00:50:04It's really powerful

00:50:05what she's done

00:50:06for this game

00:50:07as a player

00:50:07and a coach.

00:50:08Dawn reminds me

00:50:09of the saying

00:50:10that says,

00:50:11when the sun shines

00:50:12on you,

00:50:13what will you do

00:50:13with the light?

00:50:14She spreads the light.

00:50:21I'm going to try

00:50:22to treat people good

00:50:24just,

00:50:24just because.

00:50:29I don't have anything

00:50:30to protect

00:50:31besides my organic self,

00:50:34my authentic self.

00:50:37Good, good,

00:50:38come back up.

00:50:39Okay, good job.

00:50:40People can be

00:50:40who they want to be.

00:50:42They can be

00:50:42who they're comfortable,

00:50:43you know,

00:50:44in their skin being.

00:50:46I think that perfect balance

00:50:49of having fun with them,

00:50:51like knowing when to dance.

00:50:54With social media

00:50:55and all the following

00:50:56that her team has,

00:50:57she always seems

00:50:57like she has the time

00:50:58and she has the space

00:50:59to connect.

00:51:06I just feel like

00:51:07young people now

00:51:08can see through people

00:51:09that aren't real.

00:51:10I think people respect

00:51:11the truth.

00:51:13I think that's why,

00:51:14you know,

00:51:15the fans are drawn

00:51:15because they see that,

00:51:17I think, years ago,

00:51:1896, et cetera,

00:51:19we didn't have

00:51:20the legitimacy.

00:51:21Now,

00:51:22we have more media coverage.

00:51:24We have social media.

00:51:27You know,

00:51:27the suits

00:51:28at the broadcast networks

00:51:29that used to bury

00:51:30the women's basketball,

00:51:31they can't bury social media.

00:51:32It's power to the people.

00:51:35Social media

00:51:36made a huge difference, right?

00:51:38Fans want to see

00:51:40women's basketball.

00:51:41They're enjoying it

00:51:41like never before.

00:51:43Young people

00:51:44have access to it

00:51:45in a way

00:51:45that they don't need

00:51:46their parents' permission

00:51:47to change the channel

00:51:48to watch it.

00:51:49Lisa Leslie

00:51:50was a big personality,

00:51:51just like Angel Reese's

00:51:52big personality.

00:51:53The difference is

00:51:54everyone sees Angel's

00:51:56big personality

00:51:56multiple times a day

00:51:58on social media.

00:51:59I've been waiting for you, OG.

00:52:00Cheers.

00:52:01Players now have the ability

00:52:02to create their own

00:52:03brand identity.

00:52:05I want my legacy

00:52:05to be that I left

00:52:06the game in a better place.

00:52:08I feel like

00:52:08I am very lucky

00:52:09when it comes to just

00:52:10my agency.

00:52:11Brands are starting

00:52:12to invest in us

00:52:13and business is booming

00:52:14at the perfect time

00:52:15as it should.

00:52:16It's about time.

00:52:16I always say that

00:52:18it feels like

00:52:19there's been a lot

00:52:20of people pushing

00:52:21this giant boulder

00:52:23up the hill

00:52:23in women's sports

00:52:25and now it's like

00:52:26that boulder's

00:52:27rolling on its own.

00:52:28The fun part

00:52:29of the explosion

00:52:29of women's basketball

00:52:30is the fashion sense

00:52:32and the flavor

00:52:33and the flair

00:52:34and now you're seeing

00:52:35like Dawn Staley,

00:52:36she is probably

00:52:37the best dressed

00:52:38coach in America.

00:52:43Is that a world

00:52:44for the house?

00:52:44Or what would we add?

00:52:46This is a world

00:52:47wherever you want

00:52:47to do with it.

00:52:48I might wear this

00:52:49on the sideline.

00:52:50I will mess them up.

00:52:52Yes.

00:52:57Help me in

00:52:58with this one.

00:52:59When she was

00:52:59coming to us,

00:53:01slayed for the gods

00:53:02every game.

00:53:03You got to make

00:53:04them reach for it

00:53:05sometimes.

00:53:06Oh, those look good.

00:53:07They actually do.

00:53:09I think what Dawn wears

00:53:10has meaning behind it.

00:53:11Her success

00:53:12opened the platform

00:53:14in the door

00:53:14to just, you know,

00:53:16be whoever

00:53:17she wants to be.

00:53:18And I think

00:53:19that's a beautiful thing

00:53:20and I think

00:53:20she's empowered

00:53:21a whole new generation.

00:53:23I feel like

00:53:24fashion is so

00:53:26great for us

00:53:27as female athletes

00:53:28because it allows

00:53:30people to see

00:53:31our personality.

00:53:33I love the fact

00:53:34that tunnel walks

00:53:35are now like

00:53:36this thing

00:53:36that people are like,

00:53:37oh my gosh,

00:53:38what are they gonna have on?

00:53:38Is it men's suit?

00:53:42I firmly believe

00:53:44that this is,

00:53:45this marks a tipping point

00:53:47for the world

00:53:48of women's basketball.

00:53:50For a really long time,

00:53:52women's basketball

00:53:53has lacked

00:53:54this cool factor.

00:53:55For a really long time,

00:53:57we've been the butt

00:53:58of the joke.

00:53:59But now,

00:54:00how they talk

00:54:00about the teams,

00:54:01the players,

00:54:02has really shifted.

00:54:04These players,

00:54:05their brands blow up

00:54:06and they become big.

00:54:09Juju was putting on

00:54:10a show out

00:54:11on the West Coast

00:54:11and I remember

00:54:12Paige Becker's

00:54:13coming into college

00:54:14with a million followers.

00:54:16People are obsessed

00:54:18with Angel Reese.

00:54:19They're obsessed

00:54:19with Flaje Johnson.

00:54:22And of course,

00:54:23the standout stars,

00:54:24you stop and end

00:54:25with Caitlin Clark.

00:54:26Okay, I'll shoot.

00:54:27What's happening?

00:54:28But I don't see any hoop.

00:54:30Okay.

00:54:30Like a good neighbor,

00:54:32State Farm is there.

00:54:33Caitlin,

00:54:33she's a game changer.

00:54:35And we have to

00:54:36give her her flowers

00:54:37because of what

00:54:38she's done

00:54:39and the popularity

00:54:40that she alone

00:54:41has brought.

00:54:43And now we finally

00:54:44have crossed over

00:54:45where we're not

00:54:46the butt of the SNL joke.

00:54:48Basketball star

00:54:48Caitlin Clark

00:54:49will have her jersey

00:54:51retired and replaced

00:54:52with an apron.

00:54:53In fact,

00:54:54Caitlin went on there

00:54:55and made her own joke.

00:54:56I brought you a souvenir.

00:54:57It's an apron

00:54:58signed by me.

00:55:00Okay.

00:55:03But also with social media,

00:55:05there is something

00:55:06a little bit more sinister

00:55:08and uninformed

00:55:09about the attention

00:55:11a lot of these players

00:55:11are getting.

00:55:12We all know

00:55:13that there's a white-black

00:55:15issue here

00:55:15because the fact of the matter

00:55:17is when Caitlin did it,

00:55:18people were celebrating it

00:55:19and they were talking

00:55:20about nothing

00:55:21but her greatness.

00:55:22But then the second

00:55:23a sister stepped up

00:55:24and threw it back

00:55:25in her face.

00:55:26Now you got half

00:55:27the basketball world

00:55:28saying,

00:55:29well, you know what?

00:55:30That's not the classiest

00:55:32thing to do.

00:55:33Caitlin Clark,

00:55:34her fan base,

00:55:35they're like Swifties.

00:55:36I mean,

00:55:37they are passionate.

00:55:38They are an army.

00:55:39They are very protective.

00:55:42I think with the introduction

00:55:44of Caitlin and Angel

00:55:45and like the race baiting

00:55:47of that,

00:55:48more trolls

00:55:49and more bots entered

00:55:50and a lot of people

00:55:51don't know how to navigate that.

00:55:52And what happened was

00:55:53false narratives were created.

00:55:55So I feel like

00:55:55that's what we experienced

00:55:57and it really,

00:55:58I think,

00:55:59speaks more to America

00:56:00than anything else.

00:56:02Now that women's basketball

00:56:04is hot,

00:56:05we got skimmers

00:56:06and screamers.

00:56:07They skim across

00:56:08social media,

00:56:10got a headline

00:56:10or a highlight

00:56:11but don't know

00:56:12what led to that.

00:56:14It's kind of the worst part

00:56:15of the growth

00:56:15that we're seeing right now

00:56:16is how toxic

00:56:17the conversation around it

00:56:19has gotten

00:56:19and how targeted

00:56:20it's been

00:56:20at certain players,

00:56:22mostly black players,

00:56:23plenty of queer players.

00:56:27Those aren't fans,

00:56:28those are trolls

00:56:28and it's a real disservice

00:56:29to the people

00:56:31in our league.

00:56:32The bigger your name gets,

00:56:34the more people

00:56:35see your face,

00:56:36the more people

00:56:37are going to try

00:56:37to tear you down.

00:56:38But that's life.

00:56:40If you ain't had no haters,

00:56:41you ain't popping.

00:56:42And you have to stay poised

00:56:44through all that noise.

00:56:55Hello.

00:56:56Hi, welcome.

00:56:57How you doing?

00:56:59Ladies and gentlemen,

00:57:00thank you very much

00:57:01for coming this afternoon

00:57:02to the 2024

00:57:04Women's Naismith Awards.

00:57:07Look at this.

00:57:09It's incredible.

00:57:10For those of us

00:57:11that have been around the game,

00:57:12as long as

00:57:13we've been bouncing a ball

00:57:15and they've put air in it,

00:57:16it is amazing

00:57:17to see what we have

00:57:19here today.

00:57:20Hello, Caitlin.

00:57:20I didn't see you earlier.

00:57:22I said hi to everyone

00:57:23but you.

00:57:24All right,

00:57:25before we announce

00:57:25our winners,

00:57:26we wanted to take a moment

00:57:29Caitlin Clark

00:57:30is a generational talent,

00:57:32like truly transformational talent.

00:57:38She's doing things

00:57:39that no other woman has done,

00:57:41which is shoot logo threes,

00:57:43incredible court vision.

00:57:45People are fascinated by her.

00:57:47It's great for viewership.

00:57:49It's great for TV numbers.

00:57:51It's great for all of it.

00:57:53Caitlin Clark,

00:57:54University of Iowa.

00:57:56All right,

00:57:57well, thank you.

00:57:57I appreciate it.

00:57:58Thank you to the Naismith Award

00:58:00you put on.

00:58:00But the fact is,

00:58:01you look at the people

00:58:02who are different than her,

00:58:05meaning black players

00:58:06or like pro players now,

00:58:08they've been doing this

00:58:09for, you know,

00:58:10such a long time

00:58:12and it seems to be

00:58:14unappreciated.

00:58:15I think it's been

00:58:15a special year

00:58:16for women's basketball.

00:58:17So to win this award

00:58:18is really special.

00:58:19You know,

00:58:19most of the population

00:58:20is white.

00:58:23So when she's white,

00:58:25talented,

00:58:26transformational,

00:58:27generational,

00:58:28more of the population

00:58:31identifies with that.

00:58:32I'm just very grateful

00:58:33and thankful

00:58:34and I'll see you all

00:58:34on Friday night.

00:58:39But at the end of the day,

00:58:40I do think

00:58:41it's a space for it all.

00:58:45I think there is

00:58:46something to be said

00:58:46for the fact that

00:58:47the player that

00:58:49seemingly the whole world

00:58:50has come around

00:58:50to support

00:58:51and turn out for

00:58:52is a white girl

00:58:54next door,

00:58:56Caitlin Clark.

00:58:57And some of that

00:58:58feels kind of

00:58:59just unavoidable.

00:59:00It's like,

00:59:00it's kind of no one's fault,

00:59:01but that's what's kind of

00:59:02dominating the narrative.

00:59:05Rebecca Lobo

00:59:06comes to mind

00:59:07in the 90s.

00:59:08You know,

00:59:08she was the young white player

00:59:10on a team

00:59:11of mostly black women

00:59:12and she was the one

00:59:13who was getting

00:59:14all the media attention.

00:59:18And it's unfair to Caitlin

00:59:20because she doesn't know.

00:59:21She really doesn't know.

00:59:24It's even bigger than her.

00:59:26I think we're just,

00:59:27we're just scratching

00:59:29the surface.

00:59:29And I know,

00:59:30you know,

00:59:31Caitlin Clark has a lot

00:59:32to do with what's

00:59:32happening this year,

00:59:33but there's also

00:59:35a lot of experienced

00:59:36players that have

00:59:37stepped into the spotlight

00:59:38and has taken

00:59:40women's basketball

00:59:40to incredible

00:59:42heights.

00:59:42I don't see us

00:59:43slowing down

00:59:44at any time soon.

00:59:45I'm proud to announce

00:59:46that the 2024

00:59:47Werner Ladder

00:59:48Naismith Women's College

00:59:49Coach of the Year

00:59:50is Dawn Staley,

00:59:52University of South Carolina.

00:59:55I'm just going to tell you

00:59:56my thoughts

00:59:57from what I experienced.

00:59:59And if it's from

01:00:00a black woman's

01:00:01point of view,

01:00:02that's what it's from.

01:00:03Like,

01:00:03it's not to shade

01:00:04anybody else.

01:00:08But people think of me

01:00:09when if I tweet something,

01:00:11my bias comes off

01:00:12as racist social media posts.

01:00:25You don't shy away

01:00:26from talking about

01:00:28what needs to be talked about.

01:00:29Whether it's women

01:00:30or race

01:00:31or whatever it is,

01:00:33why is that so important?

01:00:34I'm not here

01:00:35to offend anybody.

01:00:36That's not my character.

01:00:37So if you're just

01:00:38tuning in for one interview

01:00:40and you probably heard it

01:00:41from somebody else

01:00:42or heard it from somebody else,

01:00:43I'm not going to apologize

01:00:44for what I said

01:00:46and what I feel

01:00:47because

01:00:49I know my life

01:00:50and I know why things

01:00:51have happened in my life.

01:00:52Honestly,

01:00:53I'm really not focused

01:00:54on these awards.

01:00:55I just want one,

01:00:56one thing,

01:00:57one thing

01:00:58and trying to get

01:00:59another national championship.

01:01:01You try to write

01:01:02a movie script

01:01:03that it's Caitlin Clark,

01:01:04the record breaker

01:01:05and her scrappy Iowa team

01:01:07trying to win

01:01:08a national championship.

01:01:09How will she go

01:01:09for history?

01:01:11There it is!

01:01:13The all-time leading scorer

01:01:15in women's college basketball.

01:01:18And then you just bring

01:01:20in this little feisty,

01:01:21undefeated South Carolina team.

01:01:23You just can't write

01:01:25a better script than that.

01:01:26Cardoso for three!

01:01:28Makes it in!

01:01:29A feeder and call

01:01:30for the Gamecocks!

01:01:32Everyone wanted to see,

01:01:34of course,

01:01:35the matchup between

01:01:36South Carolina and Iowa.

01:01:37The Gamecocks preparing

01:01:38for their national championship

01:01:41showdown against Iowa

01:01:42after they knocked USC

01:01:43out of the tournament

01:01:45last year.

01:01:46Yep, it's time, y'all.

01:01:48It's time!

01:01:49What loss sticks with you

01:01:51the most?

01:01:52Oh, by far.

01:01:53Iowa in the Final Four.

01:01:58Devastating.

01:01:59And the public

01:02:01doesn't know

01:02:02what actually happened,

01:02:05you know,

01:02:05in a loss

01:02:06that will never leave me.

01:02:08All the way in,

01:02:10lays it home!

01:02:13Iowa has conquered

01:02:15South Carolina!

01:02:17It was devastating

01:02:18for my players.

01:02:20It was the end

01:02:21of their careers.

01:02:23I was heartbroken.

01:02:25We were seniors.

01:02:26We don't get another chance.

01:02:27And I think

01:02:28the way our season

01:02:29was going,

01:02:29like, everything

01:02:30was just in line

01:02:31for us to win

01:02:32a championship.

01:02:32And then

01:02:33they changed

01:02:34our schedule

01:02:35in real time

01:02:35because it went

01:02:37totally against

01:02:37what was in the manual.

01:02:39like, how can't you

01:02:40do that?

01:02:42Iowa,

01:02:43they got an extra

01:02:44day of rest,

01:02:45but they don't have

01:02:46a higher seed

01:02:47than us.

01:02:49Was it because

01:02:50you took a predominantly

01:02:52all-white team

01:02:53and wanted to play

01:02:53them on Sunday

01:02:54at 3.30 in prime time?

01:02:56I mean,

01:02:57Caitlin and all

01:02:58of the following

01:02:59and the viewership

01:03:00over a predominantly

01:03:01black team?

01:03:03We deserve the rest.

01:03:05Why did your number

01:03:06one overall seed

01:03:07get booted?

01:03:09That's wrong.

01:03:10And you can't

01:03:11tell me otherwise.

01:03:12It was our national

01:03:14championship to be had.

01:03:17Staley misses.

01:03:18Still can't get it.

01:03:19The title goes

01:03:21to Knoxville again.

01:03:22I was really good

01:03:23in college.

01:03:24Never won a championship.

01:03:26Man, you gotta win

01:03:27a championship.

01:03:28You gotta win

01:03:29a championship.

01:03:30So that's me personally.

01:03:33Like, I had

01:03:33a great career.

01:03:36But it's always

01:03:37that you win

01:03:38a championship.

01:03:44Don will tell you

01:03:45she doesn't ever

01:03:46want her players

01:03:47to have the feeling

01:03:48that she had

01:03:49when she didn't

01:03:51win it at Virginia.

01:03:55Great coaches,

01:03:56they care about

01:03:57their teams

01:03:58getting what they feel

01:03:59they really deserve.

01:04:02For Don,

01:04:03it was a heartbreak

01:04:04in the semi-final

01:04:05loss to Iowa

01:04:06in 2023.

01:04:09When I look back

01:04:10on it,

01:04:11I do think

01:04:12we were the

01:04:13sacrificial lambs

01:04:14of the growth

01:04:15of our game.

01:04:20You can say

01:04:20I'm a sore loser.

01:04:21You can say

01:04:22whatever you want

01:04:23to say about me.

01:04:24But after that season,

01:04:25I'm not going to be

01:04:26the sacrificial lamb

01:04:28to anyone anymore.

01:04:31This national championship

01:04:32run,

01:04:33F that.

01:04:34F that.

01:04:35F that.

01:04:36Y'all not going to do

01:04:36what you did to us

01:04:37last year.

01:05:0223-24

01:05:04saw the popularity

01:05:06of women's college

01:05:07basketball skyrocket.

01:05:10Ratings on television

01:05:11like we had never seen.

01:05:13Certain teams

01:05:14and players

01:05:15having followings.

01:05:17There was just

01:05:18a different momentum

01:05:20swirling around the sport.

01:05:22You had these

01:05:23incredible,

01:05:24big moments

01:05:25that lead to

01:05:26the national championship game

01:05:27that, wait a minute,

01:05:28Iowa and South Carolina,

01:05:30a rematch

01:05:30of the heartbreak

01:05:31for South Carolina

01:05:32from the year before.

01:05:34You could not have

01:05:35scripted it any better.

01:05:36It's all come down

01:05:37to this

01:05:38as South Carolina

01:05:39and Iowa

01:05:40prepare to do

01:05:40battle

01:05:41in the NCAA

01:05:42Division I

01:05:43Women's Basketball

01:05:44Championship game.

01:05:45Perhaps the most

01:05:46anticipated

01:05:47women's college

01:05:48basketball game

01:05:49ever.

01:05:50South Carolina

01:05:51in pursuit

01:05:52of a perfect season

01:05:53and it's

01:05:54Caitlin Clark's

01:05:55final game.

01:06:00I don't pray

01:06:01for wins.

01:06:02I don't pray

01:06:02for losses.

01:06:05I pray

01:06:06that we're able

01:06:07to play

01:06:07to the best

01:06:08of our ability

01:06:11and we'll take

01:06:12the win

01:06:13or we'll take

01:06:13the loss.

01:06:14So much attention

01:06:16around this game

01:06:17for a second

01:06:18straight year.

01:06:19Iowa

01:06:19has grabbed

01:06:20the attention

01:06:21of the nation

01:06:22and they're ready

01:06:23to go tonight.

01:06:25South Carolina

01:06:27has not lost

01:06:28since falling

01:06:29to Iowa

01:06:30in the semifinals

01:06:31a year ago

01:06:31seeking redemption

01:06:33and a title today.

01:06:35Jump it up

01:06:35and the national

01:06:36championship

01:06:37is underway.

01:06:39The game

01:06:40lived up to it all.

01:06:41There was great

01:06:42performances.

01:06:43Clark

01:06:43open three

01:06:44is good!

01:06:47A 10-0

01:06:48right hook

01:06:49from Iowa

01:06:49to begin

01:06:50the national

01:06:51championship game.

01:06:52You had the best

01:06:53team

01:06:54going against

01:06:55the best player.

01:06:56Man,

01:06:56it was fun

01:06:57to watch.

01:06:57Here's Clark

01:06:58wheeling,

01:06:59taking,

01:07:00and banking

01:07:01at home.

01:07:03A stunning

01:07:05opening quarter

01:07:06from Clark.

01:07:07She has 18,

01:07:08the most ever

01:07:10in a championship

01:07:12game quarter.

01:07:15What a start

01:07:17for the Hawkeyes!

01:07:21Wiley

01:07:22in off the bench

01:07:23for South Carolina.

01:07:24She is a game changer.

01:07:28Wiley flips it ahead.

01:07:30Johnson!

01:07:31Another!

01:07:32Tessa Johnson!

01:07:35A freshman

01:07:36in status only!

01:07:38There were just

01:07:38so many layers

01:07:40to that game.

01:07:42Layers of greatness

01:07:43or layers

01:07:45of revenge,

01:07:47you know,

01:07:47the way Caitlin

01:07:48waved off

01:07:48Raven Johnson

01:07:49the year before.

01:07:50Watch Caitlin Clark.

01:07:51She doesn't even

01:07:52look at her,

01:07:52waves her hand

01:07:53as if to say,

01:07:54I don't care about you,

01:07:55I'm not defending you!

01:07:57That's a moment

01:07:58that played on

01:07:59shows

01:08:00for a while

01:08:01after that game.

01:08:02It's a moment

01:08:02that Raven had

01:08:04to overcome.

01:08:05Doc Clark

01:08:06turns off

01:08:07and Johnson

01:08:07picks the pocket

01:08:08of court.

01:08:09Raven Johnson

01:08:10lays it in!

01:08:13What a momentum

01:08:14buster

01:08:14to end the half!

01:08:16Now if you're Iowa,

01:08:18you've come back

01:08:19from deficits

01:08:19before.

01:08:20Clark,

01:08:20the crossover

01:08:21and the hit

01:08:22from three!

01:08:23A big one

01:08:25for Iowa

01:08:25and they build

01:08:27off it!

01:08:2730 for Clark!

01:08:30for Riley

01:08:31dumps it in!

01:08:32Hits,

01:08:33can't finish!

01:08:35Cardoso

01:08:35feels inevitable!

01:08:38What a crescendo

01:08:40here this afternoon

01:08:42for women's basketball!

01:08:49Perfection

01:08:50with a touch

01:08:51of sweet redemption!

01:08:54Undefeated

01:08:55South Carolina

01:08:56has won

01:08:57its third

01:08:59national championship!

01:09:12They went 38-0

01:09:13and won

01:09:14a national championship.

01:09:17That is what

01:09:18your goals

01:09:19and dreams are

01:09:19and to do that

01:09:20undefeated,

01:09:20like I'm low-key

01:09:21mad at them

01:09:21because why would y'all

01:09:23do that?

01:09:23We were supposed

01:09:24to go undefeated!

01:09:25That's what we were

01:09:25supposed to do!

01:09:25But I mean,

01:09:26they did it!

01:09:33like when I knew

01:09:34we won

01:09:35I had to hold

01:09:36back on the sideline

01:09:37because I was like

01:09:38oh no,

01:09:38don't let this happen.

01:09:39Like I'm

01:09:40I'm fighting myself

01:09:41to not allow myself

01:09:43to be emotional

01:09:45in that moment.

01:09:48I don't think

01:09:49there'll ever be

01:09:49another undefeated team

01:09:51in our sport

01:09:53because it's too good

01:09:54like teams are too good,

01:09:57players are too good.

01:09:58You're one of the toughest

01:09:59to ever come out of Philly.

01:10:01We don't see these tears

01:10:02from you often.

01:10:12Culturally, it meant

01:10:13we were able

01:10:14to overcome.

01:10:17You feel the pressure

01:10:18of being black?

01:10:20You do.

01:10:21I felt the pressure

01:10:22of upholding

01:10:23the type of success

01:10:25that black people need

01:10:26in our sport

01:10:30having the weight

01:10:31of all of that

01:10:32on our shoulders.

01:10:34But also,

01:10:36all of these great players,

01:10:37we are standing

01:10:39on their shoulders.

01:10:40Has won the national

01:10:42championship.

01:10:43We should never,

01:10:44ever forget

01:10:45their contributions

01:10:46to our sport

01:10:46because if it wasn't

01:10:48for them,

01:10:49we wouldn't be standing

01:10:50where we are today.

01:10:55If you don't get

01:10:56a Lynette Woodard,

01:10:57then maybe you don't

01:10:58get a Dawn Staley.

01:10:59And then maybe you don't

01:11:00get a Kaitlyn Clark.

01:11:03All of these women

01:11:04are built on the backs

01:11:05of the other great women.

01:11:07And so I think

01:11:09the moment is that

01:11:10we are all lifting

01:11:11each other up.

01:11:13My mission is to

01:11:14uplift women's basketball.

01:11:17Yes, we must continue

01:11:18to grow.

01:11:19And collectively,

01:11:21we're going to have

01:11:22to do it together.

01:11:27There was a really

01:11:28poignant moment

01:11:29at the end

01:11:30of the national championship

01:11:31we're on this stage.

01:11:32The presentation's

01:11:33almost over

01:11:33and Dawn Staley said,

01:11:34I want to personally

01:11:35thank Kaitlyn Clark

01:11:37for lifting up

01:11:39our sport.

01:11:40She carried

01:11:41a heavy load.

01:11:43Well, Kaitlyn Clark,

01:11:44you are

01:11:45one of the

01:11:47goats of our games

01:11:48and we appreciate you.

01:11:51Kaitlyn Clark,

01:11:52bringing a whole new

01:11:53audience to the sport,

01:11:55captivating millions

01:11:56with her dominating

01:11:57unabashed play.

01:12:22The women's game,

01:12:24taking center stage

01:12:25at March Madness,

01:12:26breaking ratings records

01:12:28and changing

01:12:29the perceptions

01:12:30about the popularity

01:12:31of women's sports.

01:12:34You feel the shift

01:12:35there, Robin.

01:12:35It was absolutely

01:12:36must-see TV.

01:12:4418.7 million.

01:12:45That's the average number

01:12:47of viewers tuning in

01:12:48for the women's title game.

01:12:50For the first time,

01:12:51more TV viewers

01:12:52in the men's final game.

01:12:53That's it.

01:13:09Really?

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