Dawn Staley on Aces’ Win Over Fever: “Basketball Is a Black Legacy — It Was Built by Us, For Us”
In the wake of the Las Vegas Aces’ commanding victory over the Indiana Fever, South Carolina head coach and basketball legend Dawn Staley delivered a powerful message about the deeper cultural legacy of the game — especially as it relates to race, identity, and the fight for equity in sports.
Comparing the Aces’ win to A’ja Wilson “defeating white supremacy,” Staley didn’t hold back:
“Basketball is a Black legacy — it was built by us, for us,” she said.
The Context Behind the Quote
The statement comes amidst a growing cultural conversation about race, representation, and power within women’s basketball. The matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever was more than just a contest between two elite teams — it symbolized a clash of narratives.
A’ja Wilson, the reigning WNBA MVP and face of the Aces, has long been a beacon of excellence, grace, and strength in the league. On the other side, Caitlin Clark, the Fever’s rookie star and NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, has captured media attention with her record-breaking performances — often hailed as a savior of women’s basketball.
But for many, that narrative is incomplete. While Clark’s rise is celebrated, the consistent excellence of Black women like Wilson has often been overlooked, undervalued, or under-promoted. Staley’s comments appear to speak directly to that imbalance.
A History of Erasure — and Excellence
Staley, who coached both Wilson and Clark in college — Wilson at South Carolina and Clark as an opponent at Iowa — has long used her platform to advocate for racial justice and equity in sports. Her statement calls out the ongoing erasure of Black contributions to a sport that was shaped, defined, and elevated by Black athletes.
“From Rucker Park to the WNBA, Black culture has been the heartbeat of basketball,” Staley has previously said. “We don’t just play the game — we are the game.”
A’ja Wilson’s Quiet Dominance
While Wilson’s accolades are numerous — multiple MVP awards, championships, Olympic medals — her name is often left out of mainstream headlines, even as she dominates on the court and leads off it with humility and activism. The framing of Clark as the “face” of the league has raised uncomfortable questions about whose talent is celebrated and whose is merely tolerated.
Staley’s analogy — comparing Wilson’s win to a symbolic triumph over white supremacy — is provocative, but it also underscores a broader truth: recognition in sports is not always about merit. It’s also about race, media narratives, and who gets to be seen as the hero.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t about pitting players against each other. Both Wilson and Clark are generational talents, and women’s basketball is stronger because of both. But Staley’s comments highlight a persistent inequity: the struggle for Black women to be seen fully — not just as athletes, but as cultural leaders, icons, and originators of the very game they dominate.
As women’s basketball continues its meteoric rise, the conversation must include not only who plays the game — but who gets credit for building it.
