Dawn Staley says she's gotten greedy, but South Carolina basketball fans wouldn't have her any other way

South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley took over a Gamecock program in 2008 that was an afterthought in the SEC. Less than a decade later, she led USC to its first National Championship victory. Within seven more years, the best women's basketball coach in the country had three rings with the Gamecocks.

The latest championship win meant that Columbia and the rest of the Palmetto State had to get some updated road signs commemorating their titles. In a presentation on Tuesday, one of the fifteen new signs was revealed as Staley helped unveil the classic green sign that reads:

University of South Carolina
3 Time Women's Basketball
National Champions
2017 2022 2024

Afterward, the media had a chance to speak to the USC head coach.

When asked by WACH Fox reporter Matt Dowell about the difference in winning each of her three titles, Coach Staley said the first one provided her with a "relieved" feeling because it was a culmination of all of her and her team's hard work. The second gave her a sense of extreme blessing as not many coaches win multiple titles. However, the Gamecock head coach felt something different when she cut down the nets for the third time after capping off an undefeated season with a comfortable victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the National Championship game.

""A third one...it brings out the greed. You want more. You want more and more.""

- Dawn Staley on winning championships

If "greed" in this case is wrong, South Carolina basketball fans don't want Coach Staley to be right. The Gamecocks have become the premier women's basketball program in the country, toppling the UConn dynasty and establishing their head coach as the queen of the sport. If the woman who was at the helm for all of that success is still hungry for more, it seems hard to imagine that there won't be more road sign updates coming in the future.

A greedy Dawn Staley has her sights set on another title in the 2024-2025 season. The Gamecocks are the preseason #1 team in the land and, despite some offseason hype for the Southern Cal Trojans and a few other teams, Carolina is the favorite to win it all once again.

The South Carolina basketball season will tip off in Las Vegas on November 4th as the Gamecock take on the Michigan Wolverines in a neutral site opener as part of the Hall of Fame Series.