At a crowded gym on the west side of Las Vegas, dozens of young athletes arrived expecting a typical basketball clinic. However, they received more than just drills. The participants were given shoes, wisdom, and a legacy. When Dawn Staley and Sheryl Swoopes entered, the gym transformed into a place of potential.
The Value of One Minute
CJ Simpson hosted the fireside chat, guiding the conversation into the realities girls face on the court. “What about role players?” She asked. Staley answered directly: “Know your worth. No coach gives you that. You do.”
Swoopes followed: “I didn’t start every game, even on Olympic teams. But if I got one minute, I made it unforgettable.” She added, “There was always someone working while I was resting. That didn’t sit right with me, so I worked.”
More Than Movement
Around the gym, Coach Mickey guided the girls through drills with care and urgency. DJ Aye Jaye kept the energy high. In the background, San (Sandra) made sure everyone was seen, fed, and ready, setting the pace and tone for the entire event.
When a girl asked, “When did you fall in love with the game?” the room paused. Swoopes said, “I just always was.” Staley followed: “Basketball raised me. Now I raise others with it.”
Coach Dawn Staley, a Hall-of-Fame coach and former Olympian, wasted no time. “Being great is a sacrifice,” she said. “A’ja Wilson protects her time. She doesn’t just train. She commits.”
The Room Rose to Meet Them
By the end, almost all the participants walked away with shoes; they left with permission to be powerful, even if no one was watching.
Because when Staley and Swoopes walk into a room, they don’t take space; they give it.
