June 20, 2025 • 23 mins
In this episode of The Blueprint, 76ers TV Play-by-play announcer Kate Scott interviews Philly native and current coach of the University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball team, Dawn Staley, about her latest venture as an author. Staley, also a Hall of Famer, Olympic Gold Medalist, and NCAA Champion (to name a few of her accolades), sheds light on her North Philadelphia roots, passion for the city’s sports teams and the future of women’s basketball. Her memoir, Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three is out now.
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Speaker 1 (00:49):
I'm Tari's Mexi and you're listening to the seventy six
Ers Insiders podcast. This podcast is part of the seventy
six Ers podcast network, presented by Stern and Cohen Law.
Search seventy six Ers Insiders wherever you get your podcasts.
Suffering an injury at work can cause physical pain, but
also great uncertainty about your rights. You need to retain
a worker's compensation law firm that is a winner like
(01:10):
our Sixers, a firm that gets some of the best settlements,
but is also willing to go toe to toe with
the insurance company. No settling on the cheap. This is Philly.
We have grit and fight in us. Call the workers
Compensation Law Firm of Stern and Cohen or visit their
site Sterncohenlaw dot com. The consultation is free. Stern and
Cohen are the official partners of the seventy six Ers.
(01:32):
They'll go ring the insurance company's bell.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Hey they're Sixers fans, it's your TV play by play
announcer Kate Scott. Welcome to my office. I'm so incredibly
excited to welcome you all to the Blueprint. Like the
name implies, we're gonna be chatting with folks here that
are either in sports or from Philly, or maybe, like
our guest today, a little bit of both, about their blueprints,
their guides, their plans that have gotten them to where
(02:05):
they are today, and oftentimes in doing so, they've laid
the groundwork for others to follow in their footsteps. And
as far as guests are concerned, we are starting right
at the top today. Now, mind you, this is just
a snippet, just a small piece of this women's awards
and accolades, national high School Player of the Year right
here in Philly before she headed to the University of
(02:25):
Virginia and was named the two time National Player of
the Year. She's a six time WNBA All Star, a
two time ABL All Star, a Hall of Famer. She's
won three Olympic gold medals as a player before she
of course, led Team USA to the gold medal as
their head coach in Tokyo. She's coached the South Carolina
women's basketball team to three national championships in the last
(02:47):
eight seasons, and she is the first person to win
the prestigious Naysmith Award, which is given to the best
player and coach in college basketball each season, she's the
first win it as both a player and a coach
and oh yeah. As of a little over a week ago,
she's now a New York Times best selling author as
her memoir Uncommon Favor, Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and
(03:11):
the Life Lessons I Learned from all three, it's selling
like hotcakes. Don's Daily. Don Staley, thanks so much for
joining us on the blueprint, and congratulations on the early
success of your memoir.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Nice T
shirt too, nice t shirt?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, I had to wear my Don's Daily T shirt.
Is it awkward, Don, when you see your name in
multiple faces of yourself on somebody's T shirt that's interviewing you.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Oh not. I think it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I think.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah, I think it's pretty cool. What'd you get it from? Uh?
I'm going to keep my.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Sources private, okay on the internet.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
But it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
It wasn't a female designer, So I'll leave it to Dony.
You start the book talking about the introverted, quiet, youngest
of five, shy kid you were years ago growing up
in North Phildy. If she heard all the things I
just listed off about you, what would she say?
Speaker 4 (04:08):
No way, like really no way. I mean, it's it's
it's it's weird.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
But I will say being an introvert and being someone
that didn't talk a whole lot, there there's a lesson
in that that you you get discernment, you get you observe,
you're able to see, you you're able to read the
room because you know, other people who are talking aren't
(04:35):
reading the room.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
They're just talking, right.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, it's the people that are taking into information and
watching the reactions to other people are are really getting
a really great life lesson. And for me, that's that's
what came out of it. And then when I was
able to find my voice, to be able to find
your voice and to be able to read the room,
(05:00):
I think it's a great quality to have as a coach,
it's a great quality to have as a leader. It's
a great quality to have just as someone who wants
the best for everyone. So being an introvert actually has
worked out in my favor as as an older adult.
(05:21):
Now you've been working on the book for a couple
of years. How did it start and and what did
the process of writing it look like? It started from
three years ago when we won a National Championship, went
on a whole press tour, ended up in New York,
(05:42):
went on the Breakfast Club Show with Charlemagne the guy.
He's actually from South Carolina, so he's always proud to
have a South Carolinian on the show. After the show,
he was like, you should write a book, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Mean I've heard that. I've heard that, like I've heard
it like so.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Much over the years, but I don't even know why,
you know, you know, and I probably reacted the same way.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yup, you're probably right, right, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
And then he just kept he just kept reaching out
and being persistent and pushing to write a book. And
then finally when we won in twenty twenty four, when
we won had to undefeated season, I'm like, and I
think I mentioned uncommon favor after during a postgame interview
(06:43):
and I you know, and then I was like, this
is too good to be true, like like this is
this is the time I did give them a soft yes,
you know, I did between twenty two and twenty four,
and it was a soft yes. And then you know,
we started just talking about the book, like I don't
(07:05):
want to give the process. I don't want to shorten
the process because there were a lot of people working
on the book prior to me even being motivated to
write the book. So it was Charlemagne. It was a
soft yes, and then everybody started. All of our team
just started working on setting everything up to what we
(07:28):
want the book to be about to, you know, just
just figuring out how we lay it out and how
we get it done. And I think I do believe
that once I have a deadline, I work a lot better.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Like if it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would
get done with me.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
So after we won, I'm like, Scott appit, like, let's
let's get moving on it. For me, it was easy
for them, it was probably not so easy. Everybody else
is doing everything to make it a New York Times bestseller,
and that is its constant work for them. For me,
(08:13):
it's just they streamline it to hey, let's do this,
let's do that, and then we're like okay.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
I'm like okay, Like that's that's easy. You need to
sell books, that's easy.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Well, it's a really easy to digest read on. It
feels just like right now, just like you're having a conversation.
And I've been lucky enough to interview you before, and
I felt like I was just listening to you sitting
in a chair, telling your life story. Because each chapter
is a lesson. This truly is your blueprint. Now, I'm
not going to get into each chapter, but since we
can be biased here towards Philly and the Sixers, I
(08:43):
want to ask you about a couple of Philly and
Sixers stories. I think a lot of us had the
story about after you won your first settle at South
Carolina in twenty seventeen, you took pieces of the net
and sent it to every black female coach in Division
I basketball. But I didn't know until I read the book, Dawn,
that you also came back to the Hank Gathers Rec
Center in North Philly and you gave them a replica
(09:06):
of the NCAA championship trophies that are sitting behind you
to display in their welcome area. Why was that important
to you? It was important to me because.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Hope is one thing that you can give people that
cost you nothing.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Right, I.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Hold my skills to achieve my goals in the Hank
Andasenter like that was my spot, like that was my
safe haven and everything that I've accomplished derived from that
gym from when I do explain, I do mention it
in the book, just not being able to play on
(09:50):
a big boycourt and having a play on the side
and having a their down one end run over, get
you a layup in, you know, or a jump shot
and hope that it goes in so you don't interfere
with the with them coming back down the court. Like
there are there are young people that are that are
in my my old neighborhood and the projects that only
(10:13):
need hope, like they only need hope, they they only
need need to see something tangible that somebody from this
neighborhood accomplished.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I think it it just lends itself.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Hope that theyn't need to continue because it really isn't.
It's hard, it's hard, it's competitive, it is you know,
you don't have very much like you got people in
the neighborhood that really understand and they will take care
of you in the neighborhood.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
But but how do you how do you get opportunity outside.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
The neighborhood, and how do you how do you driving
those opportunities. It is just that that will allow them
to see outside of the neighborhood and go out and
try to accomplish something, something that they can bring back
to the to the neighborhood and pay it forward to
the next generation of talent that comes through the Hank
(11:08):
at the center.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Someone who I'm pretty sure can relate to that. Alan
Iverson from Virginia, you obviously starred at Uva. Ai obviously
start for your hometown team, he said years ago. I
loved this part of the book that you were his
favorite player. Where did y'all first meet? What was that
first meeting between you two?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
A You know, I don't think I met Ai until
he was with the Sixers, you know, you know, being
you know in school in Virginia. You see him on
the news and all that you hear about, you know,
the great talent he was, and then he comes to
my hometown and he really just changes the culture of
the league. He was magnetic and the fact that he
(11:53):
was he was so Philly like like some you know,
some some Philadelphians love him and hate him all at
the same time.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
But at some point you've loved him.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
At some point you've loved him because he was just
a blue collar give it all, don't care what people
think or say that I'm gonna make you love me regardless.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You know, so that is that is so Philly, Like
he's so Philly. And and I just you.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Know, I had I had a podcast. I had him
on the podcast. He's just him, like AI is just him.
He is unapologetic, He is so sure of himself.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
He is non judgmental.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Like when you have somebody that's like that, you can't
help but the but the love them.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Yeah, well a lot like you, don a lot like you.
And speaking of Ai, I'm sure you've seen the rumors,
the screenshots of those old black jerseys that he in
that two thousand and two thousand and one NBA final
squad made famous. Now, I can't confirm if and when
they're coming back just yet, but if they do, down
I've seen you coaching in some other Philly sports gear.
(13:10):
Might we see you in that jersey?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
You know?
Speaker 3 (13:13):
You know you know who's gonna have them is Mitchell
and ess our Philadelphia own. I mean I have to, like, like,
I don't think i've worn anything. Sixers on the sideline,
y'all got Sixer's got to give me something. I mean,
I got to you got to give me a reason
to wear it, right, I wear it when we got
(13:34):
super Bowl. We lead it up to the Super Bowl, right,
but maybe bringing back the black jerseys will be the
thing that will put us over the top.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Right, Okay, mm hmm, I could see that.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I still believe in the sixes though, just so you know,
I am die hard.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
I am die hard. Okay, Well let's get into that.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
We got some pretty fun from AI to our pretty
fun young guards. We got now Tyres MAXI right, Jared McCain,
Philly Kidd, like you, Justin Edwards, who just had a
great rookie season. What have you seen from our young guys?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I mean, I mean Maxie is I mean he's.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Elevated himself, like like he's a top guard in the
you know, in the in the league, Jared, we ain't
see enough of them, but what we saw of them,
what our future is bright, brighter than his singernail polish
right right, His future is bright. And Justin I think
(14:35):
I just think we have you know, we just gotta
we gotta get We got to get the big fella healthy.
I mean, there is nobody like Joe Well, like, there
is no other big man in the in the in
our in our like Joel where he's healthy and God
bless him. He tried to fight through it this year,
(14:55):
like he fought through and fall through, gave it all
he had. And I hope, I hope he's healthy and
moving and and and and getting us to a place where,
you know, I don't have to I don't have to
cheer for the Knicks in the playoffs. I know, I know,
(15:15):
But I know Jalen, like Jalen and and Rick brunts
and their family. They went to Rick with the temple,
you know, So if the Sixers can't be in it,
it's whoever's closest to family.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
And I know I know that the Sixers fans aren't
gonna like that. I think we're good.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I think coach Nurse is gonna do a tremendous job.
I think he's a great coach. I think he's the
perfect person to coach our team. I think health is
wealth in any sport. So I hope the Fellas are
are getting healthy and make a run for this championship
because you know the city.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
You know the city, the city wants it.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
You know, we don't just want the Eagles to be
the only championship team. We need the Sixers, because when
the Sixers are in a great place, we want more basketball.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
We want more When they're not, we don't want more basketball.
We want our.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Teams to be successful. And I do feel like when
we were peaking, I think the interest will be, you know,
a lot quicker to bring a WNBA team to Philly.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Speaking of peaking, the w is finally having its moment
twenty eight years after it began June nineteen ninety seven.
What is it like for someone like you who's played
such a huge part in not just the success of
the league but women's basketball.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Is there Jealousy? Is there?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Pride? Is there a combination scene where women's pro hoop
is right now?
Speaker 4 (16:44):
No, it's only pride.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Like I've only wanted women's basketball to get what what
we deserved, whether that's doing my era or not. But
the fact that I'm coaching, and I'm coaching young people
that have only known it to be a w n
b A.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
Like their entire lives.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
They grew up, they were born with the with the
women's professional league in the w n b A. And
I think that's super cool because we're seeing the impact
of the league through younger players, and.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
And and girls.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
They're picking up, they're picking up a basketball a lot
sooner than they than they would have if they didn't
see women, if they didn't see a profession, if they
didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
Like we were playing blindly on on.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Just pride, like if it meant nothing was no paycheck,
it was none of that. And now these are going
to be the glory days for them because we're we're
gonna have a multimillion dollar player in a w sooner
than later, a lot sooner than later. We're gonna have
where you know, you're gonna have to pick and choose
(17:53):
whether you're gonna play overseas, you're gonna play in.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
The double like.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
There's gonna be an ultimatum when it comes to it,
and that's when the money gets to a place where
women won't have to, you know, beat their bodies up
like to to make ends meet.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
It'll be a choice. It'll be a choice whether.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
The double dip on playing a double union plan overseas.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
And what would it mean to you don We got
into it a little bit before, but if if that
player a girl from North Philly whose dad didn't want
her hoop and all those years ago, right because it
wasn't something girls did. What would it mean if that
player was playing for a W team here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
I do think the city wants it. I think everybody
in the city wants it. I do think the mayor
wants it. I do think fans want it right. But
I do think we need to be it has to
be right, so we get so we can stand the
test of time. But when they say yes, it's a
(18:58):
full commitment, and you know, it has no room besides
to grow and.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
To be to be great.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
And I often get asked on because of my position,
if and when that happens, what the team's name should be.
We got the New York Liberty, we got the Phoenix Mercury,
we got the Seattle Storm. So it just makes sense
to me that we would call it the Philly Dawn.
I don't know, you know, I mean of a new era.
It's always darkest before the dawn. Like the slogans are
(19:28):
just writing themselves done.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I don't know about that one. Ah, that's too much
pressure right there.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Like I have so I have a name equity, and
if I am name equity, I'm going all in.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
And you know, we go in as Philly fans, we
go all in.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I think that's what we're all hoping for. All right, Uh,
you've accomplished so much as I started the interview, what
do you still hope to achieve?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
I mean, my, my, my biggest accomplishment is really being
a dream merchant for my players, like my my, Like.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
I'm good. I cannot coach it still be good, right,
you know? But I just.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Feel like like I feel like, oh basketball, Like I
I'm for real life. I'm paying off of debt to basketball,
and the best way for me to do is is
just on the ground with young people, right, So I
want that selfishly, I do have something that I wanted
to do.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
I want to be in. I want to be in
a Nate Smith Hall of Fame as a coach.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
I mean here, air's why, Like because of this game,
because I started to play the game, other like aspirations
come out of it, like you you want to be
amongst the great of our game. And I'm fortunate that
I meant as a player. But then I didn't think
(20:56):
I would be coaching for this loan. So it even
it ain't even dawned on me to want to want
to be a Nasmith's Hall of Fame inductee as a coach.
But then when you're like, okay, this is year fifteen
and year twenty and now this twenty five, Like.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
We're here, so let's let's see what we get. We
can get it.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Yeah, that's what happens when he started coaching. When you're
sixteen done, you know, and you get into it a
little bit at the end of the book. This is
a tease once again to get people to get the
book because it's incredible. But just the name of our
podcast is the Blueprint, And you talk a little bit
(21:42):
about how the players are different now than when you
were playing, but also the parents are a little bit difficult.
And I just want to give you the opportunity because
I talked to so many coaches in every college sport,
women's basketball, football, and they often reflect that the parents
are the most difficult. So any any blueprint you'd like
(22:02):
to leave for the parents here who want their kids
to grow up to be a Dons daily a Tyrese Maxine.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
I would say this as a as a coach that
that is or a mentor that is involved in a
young person's life, I would say include their parents I
know a lot of times we want to say, ah,
right here, we don't want to deal with include them.
Here's why because young people nowadays they talk to their
(22:34):
parents a lot every day every day, Like it is
the weirdest dynamic. Like I've never I never talked to
my parents unless I need the money.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Their parents are younger now, so they're they're closer to
the a of their their children, so so they have
a really strong, good relationship. And I feel like once
once you let the parents in on it, like in
on the process, they're your They're your biggest messengers. Like
they are. Like if I'm talking to the parents, I
(23:08):
know she's gonna go back and tell her daughter what
I said right now. We may agree to disagree at times. Well,
for the most part, we're all working for the same thing.
It's just the player is the principal, and we want
the principal to move forward to be successful.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Do it together. Agree to agree to.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Disagree agreeably and and build that trust with the with
the parents because they're gonna be in their children's lives forever,
so you gotta work with them.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, well, don uh, I got I got a good
feeling that that Nate Smith Hall of Fame as a coach.
I got a good feelings waiting for you. Thank you
so much for sharing your blueprint with us today, and
congratulations on your already New York Times bestseller uncommon Favorite
Basketball North Billy, my mother. You have so many wonderful
(24:02):
lessons from your mother and the lessons you learned from
all three. There was great chatting with you. Don great
to see you again.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Congratulate you can't appreciate, appreciate you always love your energy.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Back at you go, Sixers, baby, that's right
I'm Tari's Mexi and you're listening to the seventy six
Ers Insiders podcast. This podcast is part of the seventy
six Ers podcast network, presented by Stern and Cohen Law.
Search seventy six Ers Insiders wherever you get your podcasts.
Suffering an injury at work can cause physical pain, but
also great uncertainty about your rights. You need to retain
a worker's compensation law firm that is a winner like
(01:10):
our Sixers, a firm that gets some of the best settlements,
but is also willing to go toe to toe with
the insurance company. No settling on the cheap. This is Philly.
We have grit and fight in us. Call the workers
Compensation Law Firm of Stern and Cohen or visit their
site Sterncohenlaw dot com. The consultation is free. Stern and
Cohen are the official partners of the seventy six Ers.
(01:32):
They'll go ring the insurance company's bell.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Hey they're Sixers fans, it's your TV play by play
announcer Kate Scott. Welcome to my office. I'm so incredibly
excited to welcome you all to the Blueprint. Like the
name implies, we're gonna be chatting with folks here that
are either in sports or from Philly, or maybe, like
our guest today, a little bit of both, about their blueprints,
their guides, their plans that have gotten them to where
(02:05):
they are today, and oftentimes in doing so, they've laid
the groundwork for others to follow in their footsteps. And
as far as guests are concerned, we are starting right
at the top today. Now, mind you, this is just
a snippet, just a small piece of this women's awards
and accolades, national high School Player of the Year right
here in Philly before she headed to the University of
(02:25):
Virginia and was named the two time National Player of
the Year. She's a six time WNBA All Star, a
two time ABL All Star, a Hall of Famer. She's
won three Olympic gold medals as a player before she
of course, led Team USA to the gold medal as
their head coach in Tokyo. She's coached the South Carolina
women's basketball team to three national championships in the last
(02:47):
eight seasons, and she is the first person to win
the prestigious Naysmith Award, which is given to the best
player and coach in college basketball each season, she's the
first win it as both a player and a coach
and oh yeah. As of a little over a week ago,
she's now a New York Times best selling author as
her memoir Uncommon Favor, Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and
(03:11):
the Life Lessons I Learned from all three, it's selling
like hotcakes. Don's Daily. Don Staley, thanks so much for
joining us on the blueprint, and congratulations on the early
success of your memoir.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Nice T
shirt too, nice t shirt?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, I had to wear my Don's Daily T shirt.
Is it awkward, Don, when you see your name in
multiple faces of yourself on somebody's T shirt that's interviewing you.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Oh not. I think it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I think.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah, I think it's pretty cool. What'd you get it from? Uh?
I'm going to keep my.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Sources private, okay on the internet.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
But it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
It wasn't a female designer, So I'll leave it to Dony.
You start the book talking about the introverted, quiet, youngest
of five, shy kid you were years ago growing up
in North Phildy. If she heard all the things I
just listed off about you, what would she say?
Speaker 4 (04:08):
No way, like really no way. I mean, it's it's
it's it's weird.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
But I will say being an introvert and being someone
that didn't talk a whole lot, there there's a lesson
in that that you you get discernment, you get you observe,
you're able to see, you you're able to read the
room because you know, other people who are talking aren't
(04:35):
reading the room.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
They're just talking, right.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, it's the people that are taking into information and
watching the reactions to other people are are really getting
a really great life lesson. And for me, that's that's
what came out of it. And then when I was
able to find my voice, to be able to find
your voice and to be able to read the room,
(05:00):
I think it's a great quality to have as a coach,
it's a great quality to have as a leader. It's
a great quality to have just as someone who wants
the best for everyone. So being an introvert actually has
worked out in my favor as as an older adult.
(05:21):
Now you've been working on the book for a couple
of years. How did it start and and what did
the process of writing it look like? It started from
three years ago when we won a National Championship, went
on a whole press tour, ended up in New York,
(05:42):
went on the Breakfast Club Show with Charlemagne the guy.
He's actually from South Carolina, so he's always proud to
have a South Carolinian on the show. After the show,
he was like, you should write a book, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Mean I've heard that. I've heard that, like I've heard
it like so.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Much over the years, but I don't even know why,
you know, you know, and I probably reacted the same way.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yup, you're probably right, right, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
And then he just kept he just kept reaching out
and being persistent and pushing to write a book. And
then finally when we won in twenty twenty four, when
we won had to undefeated season, I'm like, and I
think I mentioned uncommon favor after during a postgame interview
(06:43):
and I you know, and then I was like, this
is too good to be true, like like this is
this is the time I did give them a soft yes,
you know, I did between twenty two and twenty four,
and it was a soft yes. And then you know,
we started just talking about the book, like I don't
(07:05):
want to give the process. I don't want to shorten
the process because there were a lot of people working
on the book prior to me even being motivated to
write the book. So it was Charlemagne. It was a
soft yes, and then everybody started. All of our team
just started working on setting everything up to what we
(07:28):
want the book to be about to, you know, just
just figuring out how we lay it out and how
we get it done. And I think I do believe
that once I have a deadline, I work a lot better.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Like if it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would
get done with me.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
So after we won, I'm like, Scott appit, like, let's
let's get moving on it. For me, it was easy
for them, it was probably not so easy. Everybody else
is doing everything to make it a New York Times bestseller,
and that is its constant work for them. For me,
(08:13):
it's just they streamline it to hey, let's do this,
let's do that, and then we're like okay.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
I'm like okay, Like that's that's easy. You need to
sell books, that's easy.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Well, it's a really easy to digest read on. It
feels just like right now, just like you're having a conversation.
And I've been lucky enough to interview you before, and
I felt like I was just listening to you sitting
in a chair, telling your life story. Because each chapter
is a lesson. This truly is your blueprint. Now, I'm
not going to get into each chapter, but since we
can be biased here towards Philly and the Sixers, I
(08:43):
want to ask you about a couple of Philly and
Sixers stories. I think a lot of us had the
story about after you won your first settle at South
Carolina in twenty seventeen, you took pieces of the net
and sent it to every black female coach in Division
I basketball. But I didn't know until I read the book, Dawn,
that you also came back to the Hank Gathers Rec
Center in North Philly and you gave them a replica
(09:06):
of the NCAA championship trophies that are sitting behind you
to display in their welcome area. Why was that important
to you? It was important to me because.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Hope is one thing that you can give people that
cost you nothing.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Right, I.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Hold my skills to achieve my goals in the Hank
Andasenter like that was my spot, like that was my
safe haven and everything that I've accomplished derived from that
gym from when I do explain, I do mention it
in the book, just not being able to play on
(09:50):
a big boycourt and having a play on the side
and having a their down one end run over, get
you a layup in, you know, or a jump shot
and hope that it goes in so you don't interfere
with the with them coming back down the court. Like
there are there are young people that are that are
in my my old neighborhood and the projects that only
(10:13):
need hope, like they only need hope, they they only
need need to see something tangible that somebody from this
neighborhood accomplished.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I think it it just lends itself.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Hope that theyn't need to continue because it really isn't.
It's hard, it's hard, it's competitive, it is you know,
you don't have very much like you got people in
the neighborhood that really understand and they will take care
of you in the neighborhood.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
But but how do you how do you get opportunity outside.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
The neighborhood, and how do you how do you driving
those opportunities. It is just that that will allow them
to see outside of the neighborhood and go out and
try to accomplish something, something that they can bring back
to the to the neighborhood and pay it forward to
the next generation of talent that comes through the Hank
(11:08):
at the center.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Someone who I'm pretty sure can relate to that. Alan
Iverson from Virginia, you obviously starred at Uva. Ai obviously
start for your hometown team, he said years ago. I
loved this part of the book that you were his
favorite player. Where did y'all first meet? What was that
first meeting between you two?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
A You know, I don't think I met Ai until
he was with the Sixers, you know, you know, being
you know in school in Virginia. You see him on
the news and all that you hear about, you know,
the great talent he was, and then he comes to
my hometown and he really just changes the culture of
the league. He was magnetic and the fact that he
(11:53):
was he was so Philly like like some you know,
some some Philadelphians love him and hate him all at
the same time.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
But at some point you've loved him.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
At some point you've loved him because he was just
a blue collar give it all, don't care what people
think or say that I'm gonna make you love me regardless.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You know, so that is that is so Philly, Like
he's so Philly. And and I just you.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Know, I had I had a podcast. I had him
on the podcast. He's just him, like AI is just him.
He is unapologetic, He is so sure of himself.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
He is non judgmental.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Like when you have somebody that's like that, you can't
help but the but the love them.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Yeah, well a lot like you, don a lot like you.
And speaking of Ai, I'm sure you've seen the rumors,
the screenshots of those old black jerseys that he in
that two thousand and two thousand and one NBA final
squad made famous. Now, I can't confirm if and when
they're coming back just yet, but if they do, down
I've seen you coaching in some other Philly sports gear.
(13:10):
Might we see you in that jersey?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
You know?
Speaker 3 (13:13):
You know you know who's gonna have them is Mitchell
and ess our Philadelphia own. I mean I have to, like, like,
I don't think i've worn anything. Sixers on the sideline,
y'all got Sixer's got to give me something. I mean,
I got to you got to give me a reason
to wear it, right, I wear it when we got
(13:34):
super Bowl. We lead it up to the Super Bowl, right,
but maybe bringing back the black jerseys will be the
thing that will put us over the top.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Right, Okay, mm hmm, I could see that.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I still believe in the sixes though, just so you know,
I am die hard.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
I am die hard. Okay, Well let's get into that.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
We got some pretty fun from AI to our pretty
fun young guards. We got now Tyres MAXI right, Jared McCain,
Philly Kidd, like you, Justin Edwards, who just had a
great rookie season. What have you seen from our young guys?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I mean, I mean Maxie is I mean he's.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Elevated himself, like like he's a top guard in the
you know, in the in the league, Jared, we ain't
see enough of them, but what we saw of them,
what our future is bright, brighter than his singernail polish
right right, His future is bright. And Justin I think
(14:35):
I just think we have you know, we just gotta
we gotta get We got to get the big fella healthy.
I mean, there is nobody like Joe Well, like, there
is no other big man in the in the in
our in our like Joel where he's healthy and God
bless him. He tried to fight through it this year,
(14:55):
like he fought through and fall through, gave it all
he had. And I hope, I hope he's healthy and
moving and and and and getting us to a place where,
you know, I don't have to I don't have to
cheer for the Knicks in the playoffs. I know, I know,
(15:15):
But I know Jalen, like Jalen and and Rick brunts
and their family. They went to Rick with the temple,
you know, So if the Sixers can't be in it,
it's whoever's closest to family.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
And I know I know that the Sixers fans aren't
gonna like that. I think we're good.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I think coach Nurse is gonna do a tremendous job.
I think he's a great coach. I think he's the
perfect person to coach our team. I think health is
wealth in any sport. So I hope the Fellas are
are getting healthy and make a run for this championship
because you know the city.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
You know the city, the city wants it.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
You know, we don't just want the Eagles to be
the only championship team. We need the Sixers, because when
the Sixers are in a great place, we want more basketball.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
We want more When they're not, we don't want more basketball.
We want our.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Teams to be successful. And I do feel like when
we were peaking, I think the interest will be, you know,
a lot quicker to bring a WNBA team to Philly.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Speaking of peaking, the w is finally having its moment
twenty eight years after it began June nineteen ninety seven.
What is it like for someone like you who's played
such a huge part in not just the success of
the league but women's basketball.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Is there Jealousy? Is there?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Pride? Is there a combination scene where women's pro hoop
is right now?
Speaker 4 (16:44):
No, it's only pride.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Like I've only wanted women's basketball to get what what
we deserved, whether that's doing my era or not. But
the fact that I'm coaching, and I'm coaching young people
that have only known it to be a w n
b A.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
Like their entire lives.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
They grew up, they were born with the with the
women's professional league in the w n b A. And
I think that's super cool because we're seeing the impact
of the league through younger players, and.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
And and girls.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
They're picking up, they're picking up a basketball a lot
sooner than they than they would have if they didn't
see women, if they didn't see a profession, if they
didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
Like we were playing blindly on on.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Just pride, like if it meant nothing was no paycheck,
it was none of that. And now these are going
to be the glory days for them because we're we're
gonna have a multimillion dollar player in a w sooner
than later, a lot sooner than later. We're gonna have
where you know, you're gonna have to pick and choose
(17:53):
whether you're gonna play overseas, you're gonna play in.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
The double like.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
There's gonna be an ultimatum when it comes to it,
and that's when the money gets to a place where
women won't have to, you know, beat their bodies up
like to to make ends meet.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
It'll be a choice. It'll be a choice whether.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
The double dip on playing a double union plan overseas.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
And what would it mean to you don We got
into it a little bit before, but if if that
player a girl from North Philly whose dad didn't want
her hoop and all those years ago, right because it
wasn't something girls did. What would it mean if that
player was playing for a W team here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
I do think the city wants it. I think everybody
in the city wants it. I do think the mayor
wants it. I do think fans want it right. But
I do think we need to be it has to
be right, so we get so we can stand the
test of time. But when they say yes, it's a
(18:58):
full commitment, and you know, it has no room besides
to grow and.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
To be to be great.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
And I often get asked on because of my position,
if and when that happens, what the team's name should be.
We got the New York Liberty, we got the Phoenix Mercury,
we got the Seattle Storm. So it just makes sense
to me that we would call it the Philly Dawn.
I don't know, you know, I mean of a new era.
It's always darkest before the dawn. Like the slogans are
(19:28):
just writing themselves done.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I don't know about that one. Ah, that's too much
pressure right there.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Like I have so I have a name equity, and
if I am name equity, I'm going all in.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
And you know, we go in as Philly fans, we
go all in.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I think that's what we're all hoping for. All right, Uh,
you've accomplished so much as I started the interview, what
do you still hope to achieve?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
I mean, my, my, my biggest accomplishment is really being
a dream merchant for my players, like my my, Like.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
I'm good. I cannot coach it still be good, right,
you know? But I just.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Feel like like I feel like, oh basketball, Like I
I'm for real life. I'm paying off of debt to basketball,
and the best way for me to do is is
just on the ground with young people, right, So I
want that selfishly, I do have something that I wanted
to do.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
I want to be in. I want to be in
a Nate Smith Hall of Fame as a coach.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
I mean here, air's why, Like because of this game,
because I started to play the game, other like aspirations
come out of it, like you you want to be
amongst the great of our game. And I'm fortunate that
I meant as a player. But then I didn't think
(20:56):
I would be coaching for this loan. So it even
it ain't even dawned on me to want to want
to be a Nasmith's Hall of Fame inductee as a coach.
But then when you're like, okay, this is year fifteen
and year twenty and now this twenty five, Like.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
We're here, so let's let's see what we get. We
can get it.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Yeah, that's what happens when he started coaching. When you're
sixteen done, you know, and you get into it a
little bit at the end of the book. This is
a tease once again to get people to get the
book because it's incredible. But just the name of our
podcast is the Blueprint, And you talk a little bit
(21:42):
about how the players are different now than when you
were playing, but also the parents are a little bit difficult.
And I just want to give you the opportunity because
I talked to so many coaches in every college sport,
women's basketball, football, and they often reflect that the parents
are the most difficult. So any any blueprint you'd like
(22:02):
to leave for the parents here who want their kids
to grow up to be a Dons daily a Tyrese Maxine.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
I would say this as a as a coach that
that is or a mentor that is involved in a
young person's life, I would say include their parents I
know a lot of times we want to say, ah,
right here, we don't want to deal with include them.
Here's why because young people nowadays they talk to their
(22:34):
parents a lot every day every day, Like it is
the weirdest dynamic. Like I've never I never talked to
my parents unless I need the money.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Their parents are younger now, so they're they're closer to
the a of their their children, so so they have
a really strong, good relationship. And I feel like once
once you let the parents in on it, like in
on the process, they're your They're your biggest messengers. Like
they are. Like if I'm talking to the parents, I
(23:08):
know she's gonna go back and tell her daughter what
I said right now. We may agree to disagree at times. Well,
for the most part, we're all working for the same thing.
It's just the player is the principal, and we want
the principal to move forward to be successful.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Do it together. Agree to agree to.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Disagree agreeably and and build that trust with the with
the parents because they're gonna be in their children's lives forever,
so you gotta work with them.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, well, don uh, I got I got a good
feeling that that Nate Smith Hall of Fame as a coach.
I got a good feelings waiting for you. Thank you
so much for sharing your blueprint with us today, and
congratulations on your already New York Times bestseller uncommon Favorite
Basketball North Billy, my mother. You have so many wonderful
(24:02):
lessons from your mother and the lessons you learned from
all three. There was great chatting with you. Don great
to see you again.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Congratulate you can't appreciate, appreciate you always love your energy.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Back at you go, Sixers, baby, that's right
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