The March Madness history is now being rewritten with many stars and teams taking part in the 2026 edition of the competition. Dawn Staley also made history with her Gamecocks team and will be looking for even further glory.
While the team made a strong start to the tournament, there were lighter moments during the game that kept the pressure off the board. A key player in contributing to the same was Raven Johnson, according to the Gamecocks’ coach. She recently gave the example as she spoke with the media.
Dawn Staley Highlights Raven Johnson’s Funny Side
The South Carolina Gamecocks might have lost the Conference tournament, but they remain a strong contender for the National championship with their deep roster and competitive senior stars. Raven Johnson is ready to step into the WNBA world and is looking to leave her mark on the college basketball and Staley before turning pro.
As per her on-court performances, she succeeded in taking the college basketball by storm, and as a coach, she already loves the player for her nature and gameplay.
Narrating the story, she said, “There are 30 seconds extra on timeouts yesterday. It was so long that I said what I had to say and when I am done, I spoke about money. Raven got up, came over to me and said Aflac and walked away.”
Dawn Staley has taught Raven Johnson many things. But has Raven taught her anything?
— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) March 22, 2026
"To stay light on my toes."
Then tells a hilarious story about how Raven came over to her during longer commercial breaks yesterday and just said "Aflac!" and walked away 😂@GamecockWBB pic.twitter.com/9B9H0IbyKT
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The coach mentioned that’s the forward’s nature and that she’s never going to change it, which she likes most. The three-time champion coach has already spoken about the huge CBA deal and the money players will be making in the pro league.
While the South Carolina coach is always there for her players, current or former, she also helps her competitors, and recently, her good gesture came to light.
Dawn Staley Helps Lauren Betts with Her Mental Troubles
Recently, UCLA megastar Lauren Betts confessed to a shocking mental health revelation amidst the March Madness run. In her story and narration, she mentioned that opening up about her problem helped her a lot, and that her teammates and coaching staff were supportive during that period.
She also highlighted the support from the 55-year-old coach as she wrote, “Dawn Staley, she spoke to my mom a little bit while everything was going on as well. And I don’t think a lot of people know that. She’s been really amazing to me and my family through my entire basketball career.”
The coach had been very ‘casual’ about her help and mentioned that she learned about the issue and reached out to the player’s family because she had their contact information.