Lisa Leslie Attends March Madness to Support Best Friend Dawn Staley and South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Lisa Leslie, a former three-time MVP for the Los Angeles Sparks and four-time Olympic gold medalist, was in the stands Friday, witnessing one of her “best friends in the world” coach a women’s NCAA Tournament game.

It was a momentous occasion for Leslie, as it marked the first time she saw Dawn Staley, her teammate across four Olympic Games, coaching in March Madness. The South Carolina Gamecocks, under Staley’s leadership, are making their 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. On Friday, the defending national champions dominated No. 16 Tennessee Tech, securing a resounding 108-48 victory in the first round.

“Why today? It just worked out. My kids are on spring break,” Leslie explained about her presence at the game.

Earlier this season, Leslie had attended a South Carolina game against Michigan in Las Vegas, but being in Columbia for the intensity of March Madness brought a whole new level of excitement.

Reflecting on Staley’s impact, Leslie told USA TODAY Sports, “What she’s done for this program, obviously, this community, and built this up, and what the impact she’s had on women’s basketball worldwide, and through the Olympics… being one of my teammates and then becoming a coach, she’s outstanding.”

Leslie and Staley formed a powerful bond on the U.S. Olympic team from 1996 to 2008, going a perfect 60-0 together. Their time together taught them a lot about each other and fostered a deep, lifelong friendship.

“You get to know a person, the kind of person that they are, how they show up. You know a person during tough times because it was tough, and you helped each other through that. So it really is like a family of sisterhood in a way,” Leslie said.

Leslie emphasized the generational aspect of this sisterhood and Staley’s enduring respect for the women who paved the way.

“There’s been so many women that have come before, and I love that Dawn never forgets that,” Leslie added.

As Leslie left the arena after the game, she left Staley with a heartfelt message: “Keep doing what you’re doing. She’s great. She’s amazing. Bettering women.”

Dylan Clearfield, a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program, contributed to the reporting.