The things to focus on in 2025

 

As we approach the end of 2024,it is time to get ready to formulate an action plan for 2025. I will share my people, places and things to focus on that will grow your brand.These concepts are applicable to the following indutries. Tourism,Gaming amd Sports Betting are the primay areas that will be impacted. If you are able to incorporate any of these,you will see an improvement in your field of expertise.

Women- This is the audience that is getting the most attention.BetMGM cited an increase of 108% over year to year in wagers on the WNBA. The 2024 Womens NCAA Basketball Tournament  drew a larger viewing audience than the Mens Yournament for the first time. The USA Womens Olympic Team led by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier won the Gold Medal. Those players have combined to start the Unrivaled Basketball League that will debut in January,2025 on TNT. The Caitlin Clark phenomenon has added more interest by women and men to professuonal basketball. There is conversation that the NBA All Star Game Weekend may feature a 3 point compeition between Steph Curry and Klay Thompson vs Sabrina Ionescu and Clark.The Taylor Swift effect has increased the amount of women that are watching the NFL and in particular,the Kansas City Chiefs.Beyonce will perform at halftime on Christmas Day during the NFL Game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. 

Expect to see more wagers that are designed for women. 2025 will have more glam cam as the women will get attention for pre game walk in outfits. NIL deals will be offered to women at record numbers.The viewership,merchandise and the sports betting are direct corelations to the women athletes. Use the trends mentioned above to determine if your strategy has a female component so you are in tune to the audience. 

I Gaming- The fact that 38 states have sports betting while only 4 have I Gaming is obviously a growth opportunity. When you factor the revenue generated by those 38 states is equivalent to the amount produced by the 4 states, you have a golden opportunity to make money.I do understand some of trepidation that states may have in advancing igaming legislation. There is a thought that this will destroy or at least cannibalize brick and mortar casino business. This is not the case in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.Business is still robust jn retail or onsite gaming.Most of the Sports Betting wagers are made on line. If more states were to offer IGaming, that trend will continue with some modifications. The patrons that play in the casino will continue and be the VIP style of player. The IGaming world will not be as appealing to that player.

Expect a breakthrough of IGaming legislation quth a neighboring state to follow. The trend toward convenience and tax revenue are too much to resist. I concepts that would enhance the spending wallet available to the operators of the IGaming space.

Mexico City and Brazil.- I highlighted both of these places because the interest the NBA and NFL have shown in Latin America. The expansion of Gaming and Sports Betting in those markets is a growth opportunity. While both places are known for tourism,festivaks and excellent cuisine. The introduction of two of themore popular sports leagues will add a new allegiance of fans that will buy merchanduse and bet on the games.Some residents of these places may be looking for business collaborations within the continental United States.

How does your brand connect with the cLatin American Culture? Are any of your managerial team bilingual? I would look at the SBC Summit Americas that will be held in Fort Lauderdale,Florida in 2025. That event could serve as an introduction to the market and some of the constituents. 

Follow me on Twitter,Instagram,TikTok and LinkedIn.

  

WNBA Semifinals Preview

 The WNBA Semifinals starts today with the top four seeds advancing. The New York Liberty will play against the Las Vegas Aces.  The Liberty swept the Aces in the regular season 3-0. TheAces are the two time defending WNBA Champions.The Liberty have the homecourt advantage with the first two games being played in the Barclays Center. 

The Aces are led by 2024WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson. She was sekected as a unanamous choice.The Liberty are led by last year's MVP Breanna Stewart. The Aces led the WNBA in point average per game at 86.4.The Liberty weresecond with 85.6. The Liberty were in the top 5 of the following statistical catagories. New York was 2nd in rebounds and assists.

The Liberty are the betting favorite. They open at -160 to win the series and the money moved to -170. The game one odds are the Liberty favored by 4.5 and the total at 163.5.

The Minnesota Lynx are going against the Connecticutt Sun. The Lynx advanced to this round by defeating the Phoenix Mercury in two high scoring games. The Sun adavamced by defeating the Indiana Fever. The Sun were able withstand a 25 points performance from Caitlin Clark. 

The Sun and the Lynx met last year in the playoffs with the Sun winnig the series 2-1. The Sun also won the 2024 season series against Minnesota. Two of the games wee decided by less than 3 poinus.

The Lynx is led by Napheesha Collier while the Sun is led by Alyssa Thomas. Both plauers have finshed in the top 4 in the WNBA MVP voting in 2024. They were also members of the 2024 USA Womens Basketball team that won the gold medal in Paris,France.

The Lynx are the series favorite qith the listed odds on FanDuel at -198.The Sun odds for winning the series are +166.The Sun made a mid season trade to acquire Marina Mabrey,an outstanding 3 point shooter. They also have DiJonai Carrington,who was voted the WNBA Most Improved Player in 2024.

The Lynx is favored in game one by 4.5 and the total is 154.5

Predictions- Aces in 4 and Sun in 5. A'ja can will her team to win. Collier will put up impressive numbers but Sun plays defense and gets balance scoring from 6 players.

Enjoy Collier and Stewart as they play in the Unrivaled League.Here is a clip!

 Follow me on TikTok,Twitter and LinkedIn.

WNBA Playoff Watch

 The WNBA regular season ends on . The top 8 teams will make the playoffs. The league consists of 12 teams teams so the top eight is regardless of conference standing.Since play resumed after the Olympic break,several teams are making a playoff push. The top 4 teams get home court advantage so seeding is very important.

The Minnesota Lynx have the best record post Olympics. They are 6-0 and in 2nd place. The Lynx are 2.5 games in back of the New York Liberty. The Liberty and Lynx are 8-2 over their last 10 games.The Connecticut Sun is in 3rd place ,3 games in back of New York.

The Indiana Fever are moving up in the standings and are 0.5 games in back of the Phoenix Mercury.The Fever was 11th in defensive effiency prior to the break.They have improved to 8th in that catagory. 

The Las Vegas Aces are 5-5 over their last 10 and lost by 3 points earlier this week to the Dallas Wings.A'ja Wilson scored 42 points in that game.She is the top candidate for MVP right now. The team is not scoring as much as they were prior to the break. The Aces are not rebounding or playing championship defense.They are currently in the 5th spot and would not have home court advantage.

Games to watch this week- On friday,the Fever play the Chicago Sky. Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark continue their rivalry. Tickets for this game are going for $2,000. The Liberty will play the Seattle Storm as Breanna Stewart return to face the team she won two championships with. On Sunday,there is are two marquee games. The Aces play the Mercury and the Fever play the Wings. The Wings and Fever should be a high scoring contest. Two players that you may not know but are worth watching this weekend are Kelsey Mitchell for the Fever and Satou Sabally for the Wings.

Here is a clip about two teams fighting for the final playoff spot.

Follow me on Twitter and TikTok.

TRAMS: Just in time for Responsible Gaming Month

 This is design to get you or anyone of the millions of people that the American Gaming Association reports that engage in  sports betting.The last published reports indicates that over  25 million people enjoy some form of wagering on sporting events. The report also states that people between the ages of 18-24 are at a high risk of developing a gambling disorder.  The responsible gaming report from the AGA highlights, "the adrenaline of chance and the excitement of winning but concludes those feelings would not be plausible without a foundation of responsibility".

The Webster 's Dictionary definition of tram is a public transport vehicle that travels along rails and powered by electricity. I get the vision of Las Vegas Mccarran Airport going between terminals and to baggage claim. I now want share my new vertical that is just like the dictionary version of tram but able to accomodate thousands. Not only the young but the millenials and the baby boomers. All of those gorups engages in some form of wagering. Gambling studies indicate that demographicly,African Americans,Hispanics and Asians are high risk for gaming disorders Women are now wagering at a hiher rate than anytime in history.All of the generations and demographics mentioned  can enjoy gaming more effectively without being in jeopardize.

So without further adieu,I want to introduce my version of tram that is like you've never seen before.

TRAMS is an acronym that if applied in principal,will make the sports betting expierience fun and controllable. I will share it with you now.

Track  the teams,players,sports and leagues that you know and are interested in. You cannot follow all of them.But if you have a sub section of anything that you like or know, you.ve increased your chances because you have eliminated some choices.

Responsible methods are put in place as you open any account or enter a betting emstablishment. If you play online,those methods include limits on deposits,time on device and the amount of wagers. If you wager in brick and mortar places, do it without debit and credit cards.Pay all of your essential obligations to your creditors and your family before engaging with the game.

Alerts are the information highways that will keep you aware of whose playing,the weather conditions,injury reports and anything pertinent to making a selection. Follow news feeds and social media from the sports that captivate  you.Avoid the prompts from operators that are designed to stimulate a reaction from you to play a bet. Discipline keeps you in the game.

Market watch is looking at the numbers and the price associated with sports wagering. Here is an example. Before two teams play. visualize  what you think that point spread would be.Then examine the numbers that the bookmaker has posted. Final step is compare what operator is offers the best line and the best price. No difference than buying online from Amazon or EBay. Substitute a player for a team and apply the same idealogy.

Statistics should support any selection. Emotion and personal prefence are fine but prudent action calls for an analytic approach to identify trends. If you are able to find two stats that support your selection, you are ready to finalize your action.

                                                     And now you have TRAMS.

Each facet works in conjunction with each other. Practicing just one or two of the  methods will give minimal results.The foundation of the acroym is to game and wager responsibly. It doesn;t mean that you will win. It does mean that you will keep it fun! 

I am available to discuss how the application of this concept can benefit you or  a group you are affiliated with

WNBA: Liberty and Aces

The New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces have played twice during the 2024 WNBA Season.The Liberty have won both matchups. The first game was a 90-82 victory at the Barclays Center/The 2nd contest was at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The Libert's 79-67 win in that contest extended their winning streak. New York has won  7 games in a row.

The Liberty are now leading the Aces in the power ranking in ESPN and are now a slight favorite to win the WNBA Title. The odds I saw are from BETMGM.The Liberty have never won the WNBA Title.They have already clinched a playoffs spot. They have a favorable schedule with most of their games agaisnt teams that are not in contention for the playoffs. That puts them on course to have the best record and playing the 8th seed. That opponent would be the Chicago Sky or the Atlanta Dream.

Here is a clip about the Liberty and Aces.

The Aces are currently in 4th place in the overall standings and a half game ahead of the Seattle Storm. This is important because the top 4 teams get homecourt advantage in the playoffs.The Aces have won seven of their last 10 games. Las Vegas plays a tougher schedule than the Liberty as the season winds down.The Liberty and the Aces will meet again on September 8th in New York City. The Liberty have a 12-1 record at home.

WNBA SPOTLIGHT- A'JA WILSON: Take a peek behind the scences at Wilson during her outstanding 2024 season.

WNBA Wonder Woman -Caitlin or Angel

 The surge in popularity for the WNBA can be directly related to two members of the 2024 Rookie Class. Those players are Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.These two players came in the league with history.They played against each other in consecutive years during the Womens NCAA Basketball Tournament. In the first meeting, Reese led her LSU Lady Tigers to a win over Clark's Iowa Lady Hawkeyes in the National Championship Game of 2023.Clark's team won the rematch when the two met in the Elite Eight in 2024.Each of those games set records for viewership for a womens college basketball game.

Those trends have followed both players into the WNBA.Clark plays for the Indiana Fever while Reese plays for the Chicago Sky. The attendance in any arena that Clark or Reese plays in is generally a sell out or at least 80% capacity. Teams have moved to larger venues to accomodate the demand for tickets in some cities.Their teams are presently in the last two playoff positions.Each team has approximately 15 games left in the regular season.

The head to head records when the teams have met is 2-1 in favor of the Fever. When you look at their head to head stats and compare them to their regular season total,there is a noticeable difference. Reese averages 1 more point and 3 more rebounds against the Fever. Clark averages 1.5 more rebounds and 1.3 more assists against the Sky.

Clark and Reese have parlayed their sucess on the court to the world of endorsements. Clark has endorsement deals with Nike,Gatorade and State Farm Insurancw.In an unprecedented move,Clark signed a sponsorship deal with Wilson. She isthe first athlete to do so since Michael Jordan. Reese has landed deals with Reebok,Wingstop,Amazon ,Pepsi,PlayStation  and Beats by Dre. Reese appeared in Vogue Magazine for a photoshoot and made her announcement to play in the WNBA.The fashion world is now paying attention.

Here are some of the designer looks of all the WNBA Players that participated in the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.

The highest selling jerseys in the WNBA right now are worn by  Clark and Reese. The Fever and the Sky are also the top sellers in team apparel. There is a correlation between the players and the teams regarding sales. This is similar to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in so many ways. Both of them were college rivals and that rivalry propel the NBA toanother level. These are some ofthe celebrities that came to watch the WNBA All Star Game that featured Clark and Reese on the same team.

The Fever and Sky play again on August 30th.Check out this clip that ask who would play Wonder Woman? I 've got two people that could assimilate into the part.

F

Follow me on Twitter,TikTok and LinkedIn.

  

WNBA- ALL Star Game and Mid Term News

 The WNBA All Star Game featured the USA Womens Basketball against Team WNBA last weekend. Team WNBA defeated USA Basketball 117-109.Team WNBA was led by Arike Ogunbowale with a WNBA All Star record 34 points. Ogunbowale was named MVP. Breanna Stewart led USA Basketball with 31 points and 10 rebounds.Caitlin Clark finished the game with 10 assists, one short of the WNBA record in an ALL Star Game held by Sue Bird. Angel Reese became the first WNBA rookie to record a double double performance in an ALL Star Game. The WNBA All Star Game drew a record number of viewers. Over 3.44 milion people watched the game. The previous record was set in 2003.

The WNBA embraced the history of the league in having Cheryl Miller, Hall of Fame Basketball player and WNBA legend coached Team WNBA. She invited Ann Meyers Drysdale to assist her when she spotted saw Meyers, a fellow Hall of Famer sitting in the crowd. This connected the current players to the previous generation that started the idea of the WNBA,

The top teams in the WNBA at the midway of the season are the New York Liberty,Connecticutt Sun,Minnesota Lynx,Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces. If the playoffs started right now,the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever would qualify. Imagine the first round ratings with Clark and Reese participating in seperate matchups.

The growth of interest in the WNBA has added endorsement opportunities. The players are now wearing design outfits, getting shoe deals and appearing in major periodicals. There will be a 3-on-3 league,founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier ,starting in January 2025. This will allow the players another option to playing overseas  in the off season. Angel Reese has committed to playing in the league. The games will be played in Miami in a 10 week window. Several high profile investors are involved and the league will pay 6 figure salaries to the participants. The timing of the league is as the NFL is winding down and as March Madness is heating up. 

Here is a clip about the new league.

Follow me on TikTok,LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Olympics: 5 Athletes to watch

 The Summer Games are days away and I want to bring you up to speed on some of the athletes you should be watching and rooting for over the next two weeks. The commitment to just get through the trials is a test.As I did research for this post, I found that many of the athletes do not have sponsors. This means that they have to subsidise their raining. This is inaddition to maintaining a job,attending school and balancing family obligations. So shout out to all of the athletes participating in the Summer Games in Paris,France for their persistence.

A'ja Wilson- A'ja is the star forward for the two time defending WNBA Champions Las Vegas Aces. She is currently leading her team in scoring and rebounding. She was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2023.A'ja is an outstanding defensive player as well. Her off the court reume is quite impressive. Wilson was on Time Magazines list as one of the top 100 Influential People in 2024. She wrote a best selling book entitled 'Dear Black Girls:How to be True to You'.The book made A'ja a New York Times best selling author in February 2024. She has major endorsement deals with Nike and Gatorade. This is her 2nd Olympics and she won a gold medal in 2020.

Hezly Rivera and Quincy Wilson-Hezly and Quincy are getting accolades for being two of the youngest members of the United States Olympic Team. Rivera is a member of the gymnastic team and trains at the World Olympics Gymnastics Academy where she is one the world's top gymnast.Wilson is taphenom and his track event is the 400 meters. He has set world record times in 3 occassions over the past 6 months.Wilson is the youngest male to ever make the USA Track and Field Olympic Team. Rivera and Wilson are 16 years of age.

Sha'Carri Richardson-Richardson is a comeback story that many everyday people can relate to. She qualified for the Summer Olympic Games in 2020 after breaking the collegiate record for 100 meters.At 19 years old, she was one of the 10 fastest women in history. Sha'carri tested positive for cannabis use following her US Trials, andwas inelgible to compete in the 2020 Games. She enterd a counseling progtam and accepted a one month period of inelgibility. She is in her own words,"I am not back,I am better."  Richardson has set records in the past three years at the World Championships and is expected to win the Gold Medal in the 100 Meters and as a member of the Women's 4x100 relay team.

Simone Biles- Biles is known for her epic performances during the Olympics Games. She has also become a public advocate on for mental health. After dominating the 2016 Rio Games,she limited her participation in 2020 as she dealt with mental health issues. She took time away from gymnastics but has returned to her 2016 level of dominance. Simone is considered one of the greatest gymnast of all time and made ESPN top pro athletes since 2000 list. She is ranked at number 7. Biles is a hero to so many people and whatever she does in this year's Games will not deter her legacy. 

Here is a clip of A'ja showing off her dance moves! Just another one of her talents,

Follow me on TikTok,Twitter and LinkedIn.

s 

WNBA All Star Weekend

 The WNBA All Star Weekend will feature the Game  between Team WNBA and Team USA. Team USA will have the players picked to represent the United States in the Olympics.They are led by A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Team WNBA is led by Jonquel Jones,Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.Team USA is tavored by 6.5 and the total is189.The game starts at 8:30PM and is shown on ABC.

Here is a video of the WNBA Skills  and # Point Competition yesterday. It highlights a record setting performance.

There. are many storylines associated with the game this year.Diana Taurasi is preparing for what may be her final ALL Star Game and certainly, her last Olympic Games at the age of 42. Who will be voted MVP of the Game is stirring wagers and conversation.But the fans that are new to the WNBA are tuning in to see Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Their rivalry goes back to college and is continuing in the pros. Now we have the pleasure of seeing them play together. 

Here is a clip of Reese talking about playing with Clark and the Olympic Games in Paris.

Here are three players to watch.that you may not know. Kahleah Copper,Nyeka Ogwumike and Arike Ogunbowale are all pro lific scorers than can shoot well from distance. Copper would be my choice of an under the radae MVP. Most of the bets on the game are on Team USA because of they have practiced together during the Olympic Trials.

Enjoy the Game!

Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

        

Sports Betting-Inside the Numbers:Totals

 A popular method of wagering on sports is totals.Totals are the amount of scores combine in a contest or by an individual. The runs in MLB,the points in the NFL,NBA,WNBA,NCAA Football  and Basketball,along with  NHL are events that most people will bet on. The total gives you the ability to watch and have a vested interest in both teams.You can make your bet on one team to exceed or go under a projected number as well.

How the Sports Book Operators determines  the total for a contest by combining the points that the two teams averaged together.The 2024 Super Bowl LVIII featured the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The total was set at 47.5. The 49ers averaged 28.9 points in 2023.The Chiefs averaged 21.8 points.Both teams had outstanding defenses so a number that would be 50.5 was modified by 3 points. The final score was the Chiefs winning 25-22 in overtime.  

There are situations when the Operators are feeling out the public and setting a number based on speculation. Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark played in her first WNBA game against the Connecticut Sun. Her projected points for that game were 20.5. This was based on her performance in college where she averaged 28.4 for her career. She scored 20 in a 92-71 loss.Most of the tickets were on Clark to go over the number. 

The public is prone to make wagers on the over because of the appeal of offense. The use of algorithms keeps the projected number close to the final outcome. This is the ideal circumstance for the operator and the betting public. The public will gravitate toward the over in most sports but over the last 10 seasons in the NFL,the games have gone under 51.32% of the time. Less than 2% of the game end in a push . A push is when a game ends in a tie. 

The strategies  with totals should factor in injuries,weather and if applicable,recent divisional history. Avoid out of conference games unless one team is clearly superior to the other. That team will dominate and the lean to the over would be the play.When looking at individuals,focus on the player's average,last 5 games played and recent performance against an opponent.

Now I will get you ready for the Summer Olympics. Root for your country and make money while doing it. Always practice smart responsible gaming! We will dive into the Summer Games in my next posy.

Follow me on Twitter ,TikTok and LinkedIn.

WNBA-Week Eight

 The news of thd week is centered around an injury to Minnesota Lynx Star Forward Napheesa Collier. Collier injured  her foot during a 78-63 loss to the Commecticut Sun.Collier was the MVP of the Cmmissioner's Cup Final,beating the New York Liberty. She is already a member of the USA Womens Olympic 5-5 team.The speculation has already started about who would replace her if she is out for an extended period and not able to go to the Oympic Games in Paris.

The alternates are Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark and Sun Forward Brionna Jones. The popular choice would be Clark for obvious reasons. Much of the attention the WNBA has recieved this season was predicated on Clark.Jones is a perennial All Star and plays the same position as Collier. If thechoice is based on fit,Jones is the choice. If the dynamics of economics,marketing and media are involved,Clark gets the nod. Here's hoping Collier can participate and make this a mute point.

Two streaks ended on Friday as the Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Las Vegas Sun in overtime by a score of 98-93,The victory snapped a 6 game winning streak for the Aces. The Sparks ended a 8 game losing streak. The Sparks were led by Dearica Hamby with 28 points and 14 rebounds. A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 35points and 12 rebounds.

Chicago Sky's forward Angel Reese, continued her record shattering double-double streak.In the Sky's upset 88-84  road win over the Seattle Storm,Reese scored 27 points and had 10 rebounds in the victoty.Reese notched her 12th consecutive double-double,tying her with Candace Parkerfor the WNBA record. Reese holds the rookie record that was 7 straight prior to this season. Reese will be in the WNBA All Star Game on 7/20 in Phoenix,Arizona.

Here are the WNBA Weekend Selections. 

 Follow me on Twitter and Instahram.

WNBA-Week Seven

 The Commisioners Cup was held this week in the USB Arena between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx won the contest by a score of 94 to 89.The Lynx's leading scorer was Bridget Carleton with23 points. Breann stewart led the Liberty with 23.Each player on the Lynx recieved  around $40,000 for being on the winning team. Napheesa Collier was named MVP.

The WNBA All Star Voting is taking place right now. So far,the leader in votes is A'ia Wilson with over 200,000 votes. Since Wilson and 11 other players have been selected to the USA Olympic Team,they are automatically All Stars.Voting by the fans closes on June 29th. To obtain one of the remaining roster spots,the fans votes will account for 50% ,with the media and the players accounting for 25% each.

 The teams will be designated as Team USA and Team WNBA. The 5 players I think should be on the team  are Jonquel Jones,Dijonai Carrington,Angel Reese,Caiylin Clark and Arike Ogunbowale. Reese and Clark should be in the game because they are having good seasons and would bring more attention to the contest. I envision Team USA as a 6.5 favorite over Team WNBA.

The hottest teams in the W right now are the Liberty,Lynx, the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm over their last 10 games. The coldest team is the Los Angeles Sparks who have lost 6 straight.and the Dallas Wing who are 1-9 in their last 10 games.

Here are my WNBA Weekend Selections!

Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dawn Staley:Philly Girls Rock!

As we continue to celebrate Womens History Month, I have to pay tribute to Philadelphia's own, Dawn Staley. Dawn is legendary in the city of brotherly love. Her legendary journey started back in high school as she led Dobbins to 3 Public League Championships. She was named the National High School Player of the year by the USA Today.

She went on to the University of Virginia where she led them to 3 consecutive Final Fours. She went on to play professionally in the ABL and the WNBA. In 2004, she was given the honor of carry the torch in the Olympics. In 2011, Staley was named one of the top 15 best players in WNBA History.

Staley began coaching while still playing in the WNBA. She started coaching at Temple University in 2000. She turned them into a top ranked program that went to 6 NCAA tournament and won 4 conference tournament titles. The success at Temple made other teams take notice. The University of South Carolina pursued her, and she became their head coach in 2001. Staley rebuilt the program. The Gamecocks improved every year and won the National Championship 2017. Staley was named the coach of the 2020 Olympic team that won the gold medal. 

Dawn is the only person to ever win the Naismith Award as a player and as a coach. She had a foundation that helps middle school children in the areas of academics and mentorship. So, with all these accolades to her credit, Staley is a real genuine person and is proud of her Philadelphia upbringing.

My favorite Dawn Staley moment is personal.  My daughters were attending her basketball camps at Temple University, Staley was going to play in the WNBA All Star Game in Washington DC. I made a request to her to have some of the players sign a basketball as a memento of my family attending the game.  I met her mother coincidentally after the game and she contacted Dawn. Dawn came out and got multiple players to sign the ball. That why I chose Dawn Staley to honor on my website & blog during Womens History Month. Because Philly Girls Rock!

Check out this video of the top women's teams heading into the 2021-2022 NCAA tournament.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for March Madness. #MarchMadness with Mims.