Dawn Staley has established a dynasty at South Carolina. The women’s basketball team is now considered a powerhouse, with the 55-year-old taking the Gamecocks to three National Championships under her tutelage. And while Staley would have faced a lot of adversity en route to building the South Carolina legacy, the head coach’s clothing helps her keep things in perspective.
Staley wears beaded necklaces, including a pair that spell out her first name with basketballs between the letters. How does that fit into Staley’s every-game attire, and what meaning do the beaded necklaces hold? Let us take a closer look.
How Did the Beaded Necklaces Become Dawn Staley’s Signature Courtside Look?
During one of her Aflac visits to the UVA Children’s Hospital, Dawn Staley met 7-year-old Blakeleigh Thompson. As part of the program, Staley was paired with the 7-year-old during the scavenger hunt. Blakeleigh built a beaded necklace for her therapy duck. Staley created an identical one and has been wearing it ever since while coaching courtside.
Blakeleigh has subsequently gifted two more necklaces to Dawn Staley and even attended a South Carolina game. Blakeleigh made another necklace during the season and even added a heartfelt video message to “friend” Staley.
Thompson surprised Staley in 2025, gifting Staley a third necklace during the Gamecocks’ matchup with Texas in the Final Four. In July 2025, Blakeleigh Thompson rang the bell to celebrate being cancer-free, with her friend Staley in attendance.
Why Does Dawn Staley Wear Beaded Necklaces? Is There a Meaning Behind Them?
Dawn Staley wears the beaded necklaces in honor of Blakeleigh Thompson, a cancer patient at the UVA Children’s Hospital, whom she met during one of her visits as part of the Aflac program, owing to her Virginia roots.
In an interview, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley talked about the beaded necklaces and how they give her a perspective on coaching and life.
“What we do is coach this game or play this game or just love up on this game that we love when so many other people are going through much more deeper things than us, and they have a much better outlook on it,” she said. “I just feel forever indebted that (Thompson’s family) allowed me a small part of their life, which changes my life.”
Do Beaded Necklaces Carry Cultural or Symbolic Meaning?
Culturally, people use beaded necklaces for various purposes, including warding off evil, showing marital status, spiritual goals, faith, milestones, and material symbolism. In Staley’s case, the basketballs present between the letters that make up her name in the necklace represent her connection with the sport.
For Dawn Staley, the necklaces remind her of a cousin who suffered from sickle cell and ultimately succumbed to the condition. Also, it is a reminder of the fact that despite the teams waging war on the floor, ultimately, it’s just a game of basketball, and that there are bigger adversities in life.
The Gamecocks’ head coach highlighted, “So I had a cousin that passed from sickle cell, so it gives me perspective on what we’re doing, where we are, and really for us, although we think it’s our world, our passion, what we do, it really is just basketball.”
Dawn Staley’s coaching philosophy revolves heavily around faith and spirituality. The 55-year-old credits her faith and spirituality for helping her deal with adversity in her coaching career. And it must have helped her maintain her team’s morale despite the 2025 defeat to UConn in the NCAA Tournament. The South Carolina Gamecocks exacted revenge against the Huskies this year in the Final Four.
