Why Now Was the Perfect Time for Dawn Staley to Write a Book

This is a live update, and today we’re talking about a monumental moment in the life of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley. Not only is she a legendary coach and athlete, but she’s now adding author to her impressive resume.

On Friday morning, Staley took to social media to announce the release of her upcoming book, titled “Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three.” The book is set to drop on May 20 and promises to take readers through her incredible journey, from her roots in the Philadelphia projects to becoming a three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time WNBA All-Star, and three-time NCAA champion with the South Carolina Gamecocks. It’s a story of resilience, growth, and life-changing lessons.

So why did Staley choose to write this book now, especially at the peak of her coaching career?

“Well, one, I just got tired of people asking me,” Staley joked. “Two, I had to do it before I forgot everything. Three, I think the season that we had last year made me really thankful for what I describe as an uncommon favor career. I think it was just fitting to kind of put that in the context of my life and share it with people.”

As many of you know, South Carolina had an undefeated 38-0 season last year, capturing their third national championship in school history. The team is currently 24-3 after a big win against Arkansas on Thursday and will be playing against Vanderbilt this Sunday.

Staley added with her signature humor that writing the book left her feeling “mentally exhausted,” something she typically only experiences after a big win. She shared, “Writing the book, you’ve got to think about a lot of things, like who the characters were, and sometimes that gets lost as you get older. But the good stuff is in it—everything that really made an impact on my life.”

She reflected on her upbringing in North Philly, emphasizing that everything in her life—every success—can be traced back to her foundation, including the powerful influence of her mother.

The book is being published by Black Privilege Publishing, an imprint of Atria Books. In a statement, Jonathan Karp, CEO of Simon & Schuster, expressed his excitement about acquiring Staley’s debut work: “We are honored to have acquired Dawn Staley’s debut book. Beyond her extraordinary accomplishments as a player and coach, she is known as an inspiring and exemplary leader. The same winning insights that have produced championship teams will benefit generations of readers.”

It’s safe to say that this book is set to inspire many, just as Staley has done throughout her remarkable career. We can’t wait for May 20 to roll around!