When Dawn Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks punched their ticket to the Final Four this year, it wasn’t just another win — it was déjà vu. A year ago, Staley had led a young, undefeated squad into the same high-stakes stage, facing off against Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes. Despite the media frenzy surrounding Clark, South Carolina showed up, claiming their third national title. But somehow, even in that triumphant moment, the cameras were still chasing Clark. Now, don’t mistake, Staley is all in for the impact the Iowa Hawkeye has had and calls her the GOAT. But is the pattern, now having dragged in Paige Bueckers, stepped out of line?

Gamecocks’ seniors, Sania Feagin, Bree Hall, and Raven Johnson, will be headed to their third national championship game in four years this Sunday. Staley could be joining the elite group in women’s basketball if the feat is achieved. But is that team, the team that made it this far without a single All-American, getting the coverage it deserves? When you have a player like Paige Bueckers, vying for a National title in her 5th collegiate year, you know the answer.

In the post-game press conference, Staley was asked whether Bueckers needed to win a national championship to be considered an all-time great. And just like that, it was déjà vu all over again. The same narrative that followed Caitlin Clark last season was now trailing Bueckers — and once again, the world was watching, the influence was soaring, and it wasn’t just a pressure on Bueckers any longer. The Gamecocks will have to fend off the favoritism that plays against them.

When Staley made that clear, ESPN Women’s Hoops ran an excerpt. “Dawn Staley says narrative around Paige Bueckers and her quest to win a title has overshadowed South Carolina’s feats,” they wrote on X, sharing a post on her comments. But the head coach wasn’t having it. She believed that was a negatively put-together line.

“LIES! Fix your headline please!” she exclaimed on X. What were her words though?

When Bueckers’ question was put forth for Staley, she was all praise. “A great freakin’ player. Anybody would start their franchise with Paige because she’s a winner,” she says. Much like her admiration for Clark last year, she stresses on Paige’s legacy and legitimacy since the day she stepped into the spotlight and before. But she admits she can’t deny the fact that it is taking away from her own players.

“It happened to us last year. Everything was about Caitlin Clark and her legacy… I want the sentiments to be about our players and what our players have been able to do. Equally.” That’s the make-or-break word. Staley doesn’t want to downplay Paige’s spotlight. The Huskies standout has put up 132 points in the NCAA Tournament alone and has led her team to a deep run every year she played. And in Final Four game this Friday? One’s ears would be left ringing, arena filled to the brink. But that story has another side to it.

Where Bueckers savored the loud chants and cheers, Texas vs South Carolina was left to face more than a few empty seats. A generational talent, a 11-time championship winning team, legendary coach– the narratives are playing against them. Something similar Cori Close wasn’t denying too when she asked if UCLA had been covered like the No.1 overall seed they were all season. Staley understands the talk, but what she demands is for it to be shared.

“There’s room to do both. You can raise Paige up. Because she deserves that. Can raise our players up. Because they deserve that. And that’s not talked about enough,” the head coach added. So no — Staley would never try to steal the spotlight. She just refuses to let her team’s light be dimmed. And why would she do that, when she herself is a Bueckers’ fan?

It is mutual admiration between Paige Bueckers and Dawn Staley

Paige’s averaging nearly 20 points and over 4 rebounds per game. She dropped 34 points in her final home game to lead UConn to a 91–57 blowout over South Dakota State. Not enough? She one-upped herself a few days later, torching Oklahoma for 40 points.

Long before the headlines, long before the “Clark vs. the world” narrative took over, Staley was already tuned in to what Bueckers brought to the table. “Paige is probably the elitist basketball player to ever grace our game,” Staley said before their March Madness matchup last season. “She doesn’t take bad shots.”

This isn’t a one-sided love fest either. Paige Bueckers has always shown respect for Dawn Staley and what she’s built in Columbia. “Sustained excellence is extremely hard, especially with the parity in women’s college basketball today,” Bueckers said, via Julia Westerman of WIS News 10. “So for them to continue to get back to this level…  the demanded excellence that Coach Dawn has for her players. And we have great respect for her and the entire program.”

The Gamecocks are now 144–6 over the past four seasons. That’s even better than their famed “Freshies” class led by Naismith-winner Aliyah Boston, who went 129–9. If that’s not legendary, what is? So Staley just wants enough room on the stage for everyone who’s earned it.