Kylie on Pin-Up Jason Tattoo, Coaching vs. Caitlin Clark & Bleeding Green with Dawn Staley | Ep. 23

Summary

Podcast Summary: Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce – "Kylie on Pin-Up Jason Tattoo, Coaching vs. Caitlin Clark & Bleeding Green with Dawn Staley" | Episode 23

Release Date: June 19, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 23 of Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce, host Kylie Kelce dives into a multifaceted conversation that ranges from viral social media moments to insightful discussions with one of basketball's most esteemed figures, Dawn Staley. This episode encapsulates Kylie’s candid approach to debunking stereotypes, sharing personal anecdotes, and engaging with prominent guests to shed light on various contemporary topics.

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Doom Scroll of the Week: Jason Pin-Up Tattoo

Kylie begins the episode by addressing a trending topic that has taken the internet by storm: the controversial Pin-Up Jason tattoo.

“At the time of this recording, it's been exactly four days, 17 hours and 34 minutes since I first doom scrolled upon the pinup Jason tattoo. If you haven't seen this image yet, shield your eyes.” ([08:01])

She humorously expresses her bewilderment and amusement at the tattoo's imagery, which features her husband in a playful and exaggerated pose. Kylie shares insights into the origins of the tattoo, revealing it as a playful bet between her husband, an Eagles fan, and his partner, highlighting the personal side behind the public spectacle.

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Can I Be Honest? – Summer Parenting Insights

Transitioning from social media phenomena, Kylie shares her experiences and challenges as a parent during the summer break. She discusses the logistics of managing children’s activities, emphasizing the balance between structured camps and spontaneous play.

“My kids are officially done with their school year. So I thought I'd get honest about summer break as a parent.” ([03:15])

Kylie humorously recounts the trials of keeping young children engaged, especially with water-based activities, and the inevitable mess that accompanies such endeavors. Her relatable narrative offers a glimpse into the realities of modern parenting, resonating with many listeners juggling similar responsibilities.

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Interview with Dawn Staley: A Philadelphia Legend

The centerpiece of this episode is an in-depth conversation with Dawn Staley, a six-time WNBA All-Star, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and three-time NCAA championship-winning head coach. Dawn's extensive resume and contributions to basketball make her an invaluable guest.

Career Achievements and Hall of Fame Induction

Dawn passionately discusses her journey in basketball, from her playing days to her illustrious coaching career. She reflects on her induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, highlighting it as a pinnacle moment that validates her dedication and impact on the sport.

“The Naismith Hall of Fame... it's not something done in a way that's going to bring somebody in that's just really popular. So I wanted that one.” ([21:24])

Coaching Philosophy and Leadership

Dawn delves into her coaching philosophy, emphasizing the importance of leadership and fostering a supportive team environment. She shares anecdotes from her early days coaching at Temple University while still an active WNBA player, showcasing her ability to balance dual roles effectively.

“We found a way to get it done.” ([23:45])

Strategizing Against Stellar Players: Caitlin Clark

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Dawn's strategies when coaching against top-tier players like Caitlin Clark. She praises Clark's versatility and passing abilities while outlining tactical approaches to mitigate her impact on the game.

“The most dangerous thing of Caitlin Clark is her passing ability, her ability to make other people better and her ability to have other people's production along with her production.” ([32:30])

Dawn elaborates on game planning, stressing the need to exploit defensive weaknesses and limit easy scoring opportunities to counteract Clark's strengths.

Impact and Popularity of Women's Basketball

Dawn reflects on the burgeoning popularity of women's basketball, attributing it to standout players like Caitlin Clark who draw immense viewership and elevate the sport's profile.

“She brought more eyeballs to our game.” ([36:02])

Authorship and Giving Back to the Community

Towards the end of the interview, Dawn discusses her New York Times bestseller, Uncommon Favor. She explains her motivations for writing the book, which include preserving her experiences and contributing to the broader conversation around basketball and community engagement.

“I feel like I'm forever indebted to basketball. And through coaching, I feel like I'm repaying the debt.” ([40:01])

Future Aspirations: Owning a WNBA Team in Philadelphia

In a forward-looking segment, Dawn expresses her interest in potentially owning a WNBA team in Philadelphia, highlighting the city's passionate sports culture and the synergistic relationship between existing professional teams.

“I think it will be more welcomed when the time is right.” ([43:13])

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Kylie’s Minivan Chronicles and Personal Anecdotes

Interspersed with the guest interview, Kylie shares personal updates about her family's adoption of a Toyota Sienna minivan. She humorously describes the adjustments and benefits of the vehicle, particularly its family-friendly features that accommodate her active lifestyle.

“If you're nervous to go full minivan, listen, I've been there. But hey, maybe check out your local Toyota dealer.” ([37:36])

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Conclusion and Upcoming Events

Kylie wraps up the episode by announcing upcoming events, including a yoga class on the beach to support the Eagles Autism Foundation. She encourages listeners to engage with the podcast's social media channels for more content and details.

“We would love to see some real ones there. All details for that will be on my social media and shared at NGL with Kylie.” ([44:59])

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Key Takeaways

• Authenticity Over Stereotypes: Kylie continues to break the mold of the “football wife” stereotype by sharing genuine experiences and insights.

• Strategic Coaching in Sports: Dawn Staley provides a deep dive into effective coaching tactics against top athletes, emphasizing adaptability and analytical thinking.

• Balancing Personal and Professional Life: Both Kylie and Dawn highlight the challenges and rewards of managing personal lives alongside demanding careers in the public eye.

• Community and Giving Back: The episode underscores the importance of contributing to the community, whether through sports, literature, or charitable events.

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Notable Quotes

• “The Naismith Hall of Fame... it's not something done in a way that's going to bring somebody in that's just really popular. So I wanted that one.” – Dawn Staley ([21:24])

• “The most dangerous thing of Caitlin Clark is her passing ability, her ability to make other people better and her ability to have other people's production along with her production.” – Dawn Staley ([32:30])

• “She brought more eyeballs to our game.” – Dawn Staley ([36:02])

• “If you're nervous to go full minivan, listen, I've been there. But hey, maybe check out your local Toyota dealer.” – Kylie Kelce ([37:36])

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Final Thoughts

Episode 23 of Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce successfully bridges personal anecdotes with professional insights, offering listeners a comprehensive look into both Kylie’s life and Dawn Staley’s coaching excellence. The episode not only entertains but also educates, making it a must-listen for fans of sports, parenting, and authentic conversations.

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Transcript

[Kylie Kelce]

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[Dawn Staley]

Not going to lie. Yesterday I was caught off guard because I asked Wyatt, are you for real?

[Kylie Kelce]

For real?

[Dawn Staley]

And she said no, it's pretend. Pretend. I had to stifle a laugh on that one because she was dead ass. Let's start this podcast. Welcome back to Not Gonna Lie, a wave original brought to you by Toyota. Let's go places. I'm your host, Kylie Kelce, former lifeguards, self appointed romcom historian and I guess I'm gonna have to watch the next season of Traders. That's right, Donna Kelsey, my mother in law is on this coming season of Traders. Have I watched Traders? Not a whole season. Am I excited to watch Donna? A thousand percent. I' ma cheer her on till the end of time. I am not gonna lie though. Her innocence and honesty is working against her. Or for her. Oh, if she's a faithful, maybe it works for her. Oh, we're all on the edge of our seat. I'm excited. Come on Donna, win it. Coming up on today's episode, I think the real ones already know what needs to be addressed on Doom scroll of the week, the Jason Pinup tattoo. I'm still not sure if I have the words, but I'm gonna try and find them. And then I'm gonna be joined by the six time WNBA all star and three time NCAA championship winning head coach, Philly's own coach, Dawn Staley. Not gonna lie, I'm pretty nervous. Nervous enough to have Martin Pittsburgh. I'm so excited to talk to her about coaching because she is the coach. Gosh, here we go. But before we get to all that, last week I posed a question to the real ones. What age do we stop wiping our children's butts? And I was hoping that you all could send in your suggestions of when you had that experience and then we could add them all up. Divide by the total. You see what I'm saying? Simple math. As always. The comments section delivered okay. It says my oldest will be seven in August and it's half and half pooping. She'll let us know if it's a mushy one. Oh my God. It needs help. But she's pretty good at washing. When it will be my youngest turn, I'm not going to trust her. That that is so real that you know that it's dependent on the individual involved. It seems that the general consensus can be summed up with this comment. Stop wiping before kindergarten. Signed a kindergarten teacher. Outstanding. Everybody knows around here we love and appreciate all of our educators. So for that before kindergarten is a hard. Heck yeah. Now that we've taken care of that, let's move on to a brand new edition of Can I be honest? My kids are officially done with their school year. So I thought I'd get honest about summer break as a parent parent. Everybody knows that when school lets out that means we have all day, every day at home with each other. It's so much fun. We're having fun. But this summer is the first summer where the girls are actually going to do some camps. And when I say camps, I mean they're five and four guys. We're doing like a. It's like a three to four day situation. I think it's maximum three hours. Like we're really. It's just to get them out somewhere else, anywhere else and moving around. I will say that our age range right now five to. I don't even know how old the youngest one is. 10 weeks, 11 weeks. I don't know. You get it. She's new. I. It's hard to find an activity for everyone. So as long as I can hook Finn to the front of me and everybody else has their shoes on, we just, we get the heck out. I don't know. Oh, Queen Emma put this in the rundown. She put what are the best time consuming summer activities for toddlers? I'm going to tell you right now, I am a tried and true water table lady. Okay? Now the number of times I have to say don't drink it enough to send anybody over the edge, okay? Especially with three of them because you're telling each of them individually, do not drink the water in the water table. And then on top of that, you're trying to tell them not to convince each other to then drink the water in the water table. I think the key is not to give them anything that resembles a cup. But who are we kidding? I gave them a shovel a couple weeks ago and they tried to drink it out of that. I will say either send them out in a bathing suit or know that they are going to need to completely change clothes when you are done. And if your child plays nicely in a water table and you do not need to change their clothes after.

[Kylie Kelce]

You'Re.

[Dawn Staley]

A race sensory bin. Mom. I said what I said. I said what I said you do kinetic sand in the house. Do you see what I'm saying? That's it for can I be honest about summer break. Next up, it's time. At the time of this recording, it's been exactly four days, 17 hours and 34 minutes since I first doom scrolled upon the pinup Jason tattoo. If you haven't seen this image yet, shield your eyes. I'm kidding. Queen Emma, hit it. God. Just. It is for my listeners. A. I don't even. I genuinely don't even know where to start. My response to this was excuse me. And I still stand by that because this image for my listeners is an image of my husband kneeling with one hand behind his head, pumping his his boobs out and arching his back. Oh my God. It's describing it. Oh, God. Describing it is even worse than it's even worse. And he has an eagle in his crotch. I don't know how else to say that. Someone then commented and said my first thought was what's Kylie going to say about this? And I replied to that. Kylie doesn't even know where to start. Wow. Couple things that I have learned since seeing this tattoo. Apparently it is two years old. That's right. This sucker has been in existence for the last two years. The other thing I have learned is that it is on a woman and that that she lost a bet that she's actually a Giants fan who lost a bet with her husband.

[Emma]

And.

[Dawn Staley]

Her husband is an Eagles fan. Apparently they do bets like this all the time. She has a lot of tattoos, so I guess it isn't that crazy that she put this on her body. A couple things that I want to address. There's a bunch of people in the comments of this Tick tock that are very confused about the eagle crotch. And they think that it's like someone creatively came up with that. If you search the body image issue when the Eagles offensive line was in it, they had Eagles masks. It doesn't make it better. It doesn't make this. This doesn't make it better. They had Eagles masks on their crotch. I will say that if you have not seen this yet, it is oddly spot on. I mean, like, very well captured his physique, specifically the gray spot, like the silver fox on the side of his head. I genuinely. This is one of those situations where when I had no context, my thought was, no notes, no notes. You nailed that. To the tattoo artist, Way to go. I don't the creativity on this one. You nailed it. This TikTok specifically has reminded me it might be a good time to bring back one of our favorite segments around here. That's right. It's fuck around and find out. I think that people are posting what they would think is a thirst trap of my husband. We got some people in these comments. They are fucking around. They're fucking around because they're saying things.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Like.

[Dawn Staley]

Like how fine my husband is or that, like, they would like a piece or they're doing the little drool emoji. I'm gonna need you to sit down, put your tongues back in your mouth, and be respectful. That man is a father to my children. And also agreed, if I were not a trying to be a responsible adult, I would also be commenting those things under my husband's thirst traps because same. But that's mine. That's mine. So I'm gonna need you to get your drool comments out of there. Specifically. You guys could. You guys could do some, like, hard eyes. I personal. I. What I will say is, is that I don't read comments often, but I have seen a fair amount of people, they're falling for the thirst traps, but it's actually not on the market. That man, is he mine. But I will say is they are nicely balanced and complimented by the people who say in comments. Or I've seen it here and there of people saying respectfully to Kylie or if. If I didn't know that Kylie would come for me, I would say and then they say what they want to say. Real recognize, real. I really appreciate you at least acknowledging me before you drool all over my husband. That was. That's respectful. I appreciate that. But. But that's mine. Till the end of time, that's mine. That's all I'm saying. And just a reminder, gentle reminder. He's not on Tik Tok, but you know who is? Me. And if I catch you in my Doom scroll and you are fucking around, you might find out. You might. That's it for Doom Scroll. Dawn Staley is coming up right after my first ever minivan mini update brought to you by Toyota. As the real ones will remember, earlier this year I said that minivans were in for 20, 25. I'm not pleased about it. I haven't been pleased about it since the beginning. And I'm not wavering only a little. I'm wavering a little bit. I'm wavering a little bit because I'm not gonna lie, minivans are so in that now I'm driving one. I'm officially a minivan mom. It happened. You guys sent in a ton of suggestions and I ended up going with the Toyota Sienna. I did do a test drive, shout out to Teresa. She was incredible. Very knowledgeable about the car. She made it an easy decision. I'm coming around to minivan life, but just know it's kicking and screaming, okay. And also enjoying the features. Whatever. Well, if you also said that minivans were in this year and are looking for your next car, you can learn more about the Toyota Sienna at toyota.com/sienna.

[Kylie Kelce]

This message is brought to you by Apple Card. You earn up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase without limits. Visit Apple Co cardcalculator to see how much you can earn. Subject to credit approval. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City branch terms and more at applecard.com savor every last drop.

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[Dawn Staley]

She's the six time WNBA all star, three time Olympic gold medalist and three time NCAA championship winning head coach. She's also a best selling author, hall of Famer, and maybe most importantly, a Philadelphia legend. Dawn Staley, welcome to not gonna Lie and Go Birds Go freaking bird.

[Emma]

Thank you for having me.

[Dawn Staley]

Of course. Thank you for coming on I'm not gonna Lie. Somehow we have not met in Person. I am a huge fan, but we've nearly met a couple times at this point. There's actually a photo of you and Jason and Travis in a suite at a Phillies game last playoffs. I was actually at that game and Jason came back to the suite and was like, you'll never guess who I just saw. And I was very jealous. I was very jealous about that. Now, I think we're gonna agree on this, but I want to say for good measure, Philly is the best sports town in the world. Is that right? Would you agree with that?

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Without a doubt.

[Dawn Staley]

Okay, perfect. I want to make sure we're not, we're not leaning towards the South. I know you spent a. Spend most of your time there now.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

No, no, I. And I tell people down here, like, like, I, I work here. I'm not from here. Like, I'm from Philly. And you, I mean, I, I rock jerseys. Like, I rock.

[Dawn Staley]

Oh, I've seen it. I mean, courtside.

[Emma]

Yes.

[Dawn Staley]

Listen, I love it.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

And, and some people, some die hard fans here, they send emails, they, they post social media messages about my attire.

[Emma]

Like, I should be wearing the school colors. I should be.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Yeah, I do wear the school colors. But also when we're going as far as we're going, when we win Super Bowls, you're going to see me in some Eagles gear.

[Dawn Staley]

Like me. Like you were saying, you've been a lifelong Eagles fan. I can admit that I'm a little biased when it comes to having a favorite Eagles player, but do you currently have one?

[Martin Pittsburgh]

I do. I do. And who is easy one, though? Because it's QB1. Jalen hurts.

[Dawn Staley]

And I know that you guys have supported each other in some of the things that you've had going on recently. You have been on record talking about texting him before super bowl, and he obviously was supporting you guys in the national championship last year. How did you guys first get connected and what is that support system? Like?

[Martin Pittsburgh]

We have a mutual friend in Deuce Daily who used to be an assistant coach with the Eagles.

[Dawn Staley]

My husband speaks very highly of Deuce.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

So he introduced us. I know sometimes when, when, when you play for a team that's in Philly and you're the quarterback, like, you're the, you're the star. It really is a lonely place. It's a lonely place. He's QB1. We lose, the city goes crazy, right? Like, crazy. So I'm just like, I know it's a lonely place. Sometimes I just text him, hey, you know, don't get too high with the highs. Or low, though. He doesn't. He doesn't. Now he's the one. He's the coolest cat that I know. But sometimes you need to hear like, like you're the only one that's going to feel the pressure of everybody else, because other people in other positions can just kind of go under the radar, so to speak. But when it's the quarterback and when we know you got potential to take us to the Super Bowls and win Super Bowls, you really feel the pressure. So I'm just like, hang in there, thinking about you. It's Philly, so ride the wave. And we rode the wave with him all the way to the super bowl, where it wasn't even a question whether or not we were going to win.

[Dawn Staley]

I will say in terms of quarterbacks specifically, obviously they're usually the. The face of the organization at the time, like during their duration. And I do think that it's made. Been made clear in not so not so distant history of the team that not, not everyone's cut out for this area. Not everyone is cut out to handle Philly. Our media is tough. They're honest, but so are the fans. And my husband always says they're some of the most educated football fans, that it makes it difficult to argue with their opinions, which I think is a testament to how passionate our city is.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

That's the part that most people don't get. Like, our, our fans are so educated. Obviously, we, we lead with our hearts.

[Emma]

No doubt about it.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Like, we do lead with our hearts, but our brains are part of the process. Like they, you know, at. Sometimes I'll say this, we got fans like that in South Carolina where sometimes they are, they are posting stuff on social media. I'm like, you might have a point there. That wasn't. That I wasn't even thinking about. So let me, let me take a look. Let me see the numbers. Philly fans are, are just. It's a, It's a lifestyle. Like, it's a lifestyle to cheer for the Eagles, the Sixes, the Flight, anything. Philly. It's a lifestyle. Like, it's, it's a part of our very existence for our teams to do well. And it's. Yes, it's a play on the heart, but it's also knowing what you're talking about, like, knowing that you can. Like, if you're going to argue, you're going to have some facts. I mean, and you're going to speak from emotions and always talk about facts and emotions. Like, some people react in such a way that is so emotional to them and that they. They tend not to think about the facts and they tend not to speak on the facts. They're just speaking because they're so hurt. Philly fans speak from emotions and facts.

[Dawn Staley]

Now, I'd love to get a little more into your coaching career. You are not only one of the greatest women's basketball coaches ever, but you are literally one of the greatest coaches, period. You were inducted into your third hall of Fame. They're going to have to start making new halls of fame at this point. Out of all of them, is there one that you're most proud of?

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Absolutely. And which is that the Naismith hall of Fame, like, basketball hall of Fame, I got. You know, when you. When you play a sport, that was probably the only selfish award that I wanted. Like, I didn't really care about anything else. But the Naismith was near and dear to me because so many greats are in it. Like, and I don't think it's political, like, some of them are political where, you know, you let this person in. You know, it's a down year. Let this person in because they're popular, right? They're going to bring people in, and it's, you know, for me, I don't think this Naismith hall of Fame is one that is done in a. In a way that's going to bring somebody in that's just really popular. So I wanted that one and secretly I wanted as a coach as well. Like, I want to go in as a player and now as a coach, because, I mean, I just spent. Finished my 25th year coaching, and I'm like, is it. Is it hall of Fame worthy? And the hall of Fame nominating committee will. Will be the ones that will let me know if my coaching career is worthy, you know, to be in the hall of Fame as a coach.

[Dawn Staley]

I mean, proofs in the pudding. I'm biased, though.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

All the people. All the people in Philly, when they. When they listen to this. Okay, good luck to somebody's email down in.

[Dawn Staley]

Right. We love to manifest things around here. So guys, get to moving. You get it? Now, one of the most impressive parts of your coaching career is that you actually started coaching when you were still playing in the wnba. You started your career at Temple, I believe it was six years. Is that right? That you coached and played. How the. How did you do that one?

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Temple came after me, like, when I'm in the prime of my career to ask me if I wanted to coach, and I. I really turned him down. Like, three times. Like, I'm like, nah, you gotta respect some persistence. And then I sat down with the ad. He was like, basically two questions. Can you turn Temple? Can you lead? That's number one. Can I lead? I'm like, can I leave, man? Did you do your research? Like, really? I'm. I was the captain on every team.

[Emma]

That I played on, so I was.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

Like, yes, I can lead. And then he asked me if I can turn Temple women's basketball program around, and I'm drawing the challenges. And I'm like, man, is this a challenge? And then, you know, he took me through a series of interviews in which I didn't even think I was being. I didn't even know I was being interviewed. Like, it was a formal interview, and I didn't know it because I'm at the time, 29, 30 years old. And all of my interviews were tryouts. Like, I've never been on, like, a. Like, a real interview. And needless to say, they were so impressionable, I took the job two weeks later. And then, I mean, part of the process was, I don't want to stop playing. Like, I want to play in the wnba. I want to continue to play as long as I can play. And they were like, okay, fine. But then you get a staff together, and then you realize that it's doable. Yes, I'm away probably five or six months out of the year, but when you have a really good staff that's creative, that has more basketball experience than I do, we found a way to get it done.

[Dawn Staley]

Now I like to do a segment with some of my guests called Coach me Up. It's where I ask for their expert advice on something. I. I am currently still a high school field hockey coach. I coach at the high school that I went to right outside of Philly. And so I would love for you to coach me up on coaching. So what is something that I can do at the high school level to bring out the best of my players?

[Martin Pittsburgh]

This is going to be a weird one, though, I'm telling you. Is the parents. You have to get to the parents. Like, the parents are. Are key. Here's why. Because a lot of times young people are. Are talking to their parents a lot more than I talk to my parents on my playing days. Then probably you talk to your parents on your plan days. You're a little bit younger. So you might. You might. You might have talked to your parents. You might not have talked to your parents, or you might. I don't know. But I find that young People talk to their parents so much that the parents are feeding them something. And if it is anything that you believe is going to help their child or you believe that's going to help your team, then.

[Dawn Staley]

It'S counterintuitive.

[Emma]

Yes. Yes.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

So if you could talk to the parents, and I know it's exhausting, it is. But if you can get them saying the messaging that you want them, that their daughters that have half the battle, like, you've won, you certainly won when you got the parents.

[Dawn Staley]

I don't know about you at the college level, but I feel like every day I'm learning some type of new Gen Z term. Is there any vocabulary that you've learned over the last few years where you're just like, okay, that must be new.

[Emma]

A whole lot, right? Like riz. I don't really know what RIZ is that riz, like the acronyms.

[Dawn Staley]

Yes.

[Emma]

And the emojis. Like, I don't, I don't, I don't know. Like, and I gotta give you this. Like I'm, I'm talking to a parent, right? She's upset because her child didn't play a whole lot. And I'm like, your child did play, she just didn't play well. So I got to put somebody else in that's more productive, right? And it's all through text messaging. So when I said that, she did this to me. Oh, okay, yeah, the thumbs down. Like that's, I'm like, uh huh. I'm like this me, 10, 9, 8, 7. Like I did. I had a 10. I had to count down before I responded. And then I'm like, hey, look, we can agree to disagree agreeably, but we can't be disrespectful. Like, like, oh yeah, use your words. We're adults. Like, use your words. I may not like it, you may not like it, like, but let's, let's, let's talk, let's just talk it out. So it's just things like that, that sometimes for text messaging for me, I mean, I could probably figure it out when we're just having a normal conversation face to face. It's the text messages responses that really like that show my age. Like, bad.

[Dawn Staley]

I had a talk with my team a few years ago because I had to explain to them that at the very least they needed to type complete words because I was like, we can be informal, right? Like we can, we can have that back and forth. But you can also type a message to me and spell out thanks instead of T, H, X. I was like that's not, that's not coming to me. You can, you can text that to your friends. That's not coming to me. Try again. Because we're trying to prepare ourselves for potentially college or a professional setting. You, you, I know you are not texting your boss. Thx beautiful.

[Emma]

You keep doing that. Really. I mean it takes a lot of stamina to do it. I know it does like to correct each and every one of them, but they don't know what they don't know. Like they don't know what's out there. And I'm the same way. Like I really am the same way. Because you know, one for us is for them, it's branding. Like they're a brand now. Like they, how they respond and react and what they post and those are great things that, that has helped us. So we're utilizing the nil space to help them be. Have a better appearance out there, especially social media wise.

[Dawn Staley]

Now, you've coached against some of the WNBA's current best players when they were at the college level. I bring this, I would love to bring up Caitlin Clark because you specifically just had a quote where you said she will probably go down as one of the greatest players to ever grace the league. Is Caitlin the best player you've coached against in college and, and who's really up there?

[Emma]

The best player we coached against. Well, we only played, only coached against Caitlin twice. Right. Both times she had over 30. Right. I don't know if there's a player that I coached against, I had 30 points against us in the two times that they played. Both one's a win and one's a loss. I would say she's probably the most difficult to scout, to play against in that she can beat you a variety of ways. She can beat you with her, obviously her three point shot. But for me, the most dangerous thing of Caitlin Clark is her passing ability, her ability to make other people better and her ability to have, you know, other people's production along with her production. That's how you win. If you can get somebody to produce along with her. If you could take that away. And that was our emphasis when we won when we beat them in the semifinals. No, actually was the finals last year. We said Caitlin Clark's gonna get 30. It is. She can't have 12 assists because if she's got 12 assists, then she's involving her teammates in a way that it doesn't, it doesn't quite add up. We can't produce enough points like they can. And it's probably easy points. It's not even. They're probably layups. Those 12 assists are probably layups. They're not, you know, they're not three point shots because we could defend that. It's hard to defend a layup in transition when she's picking you apart when they've created an advantage in transition. So we try to really concentrate on those areas. So yes, I think she's quite incredible, quite an anomaly when it comes to how many eyeballs that she's bringing on the game and new eyeballs and the newness of those eyeballs. Only want her to do well. Only want you to speak very highly of her. Only, you know, want you to agree with what they agree with. And that's kind of hard when, when we are critics to. To everyone that plays the game. We're critics to it. It is a part of our, the fabric of sports to be able to.

[Dawn Staley]

Part of athletics.

[Emma]

Yes.

[Dawn Staley]

It's like that's the competition.

[Emma]

That's what we do. Like you wanna, you wanna highlight Caitlin Clark for what she does well, but if you are her opponent, you want to zero in on the things that she doesn't do well. Right. Like, you know, she's a risk taker when it comes to passing the ball. So she'll turn the ball over some and that's a great thing. If you're her opposition and her opponent. It's when she got everything else that's going on as a, as her opponent, you want to detract from the amount of highlights that she provides on any given night. You want to, you want to take those highlights away, you want to take those easy buckets away. She's going to be great. It's hard for her not to be great because she's such a great player that can shoot the ball. When shooting is, you know, an incredible. You can shoot it from one step across half court. You're very dangerous. But to me what makes her really dangerous is her ability to pass the basketball.

[Dawn Staley]

So the idea that the you saying that people just want you to speak highly of her and speak positively. I think it, it's so interesting to view that as an athlete to, to think that like that is exactly what's happening. That it's this idea that sort of like a player could do no wrong. But like that's, that is the point of like you talking about game planning against her. Like obviously things can be done wrong. Her taking risks on passing, you being able to eliminate those options is what's going to then really work out the Math for you guys to be able to take it. It's really interesting to know that the opinions that are coming in are those fresh eyes are maybe people who haven't sort of been in sports throughout their life to understand that that is the competition that drives these games. That is like she would probably respect the fact that people are picking apart her weaknesses because she's on a, on a journey to try and eliminate those weaknesses herself.

[Emma]

I mean it's sports like, like that's.

[Dawn Staley]

The heart of it.

[Emma]

That's the heart of it. And when you are singly focused on one thing and that's for Caitlin Clark to do well and they gonna tear my butt up for saying this, but I mean I, I have, I, I coach the best player in the world, Asia Wilson, and I tear her game apart. Like I, I criticize her. You know, she's, since she's, she's gotten better with certain areas. Like I, I thought she could be a better rebounder, I thought she could be a better defender. Like, I know she can score the basketball, I know she can shoot, you know, I know she could shoot the mid range better than anybody, you know, in the, you know, in the game. That's what she was last year in the wnba. But can you shoot the three? Can you, can you, can you counter what you do? Well, like, because that's what people going to take away if they take it away in the mid range game. Yes, you can get close to the basket, but close to the basket means you're going, you're going to attract a lot more people. So being able to, you know, knock down the three ball will make her unstoppable with all the things that she's bringing to the table. And if I'm gonna criticize my own, I'm gonna criticize the people that are in the game. And it's not to say that what they're bringing to the game isn't great, like great qualities. But nobody walks or plays this game perfectly. No one.

[Dawn Staley]

And also someone as elite as Asia Wilson, you know for a fact that she did not get where she is by assuming that her game was at the top and that she had nowhere to go, right like that her mindset has to be, I'm going to get better every single day. And so if I can receive that feedback and turn it into positive movement forward, I mean that is the elite athlete mindset. Like she did not get there by not being able to say, like, you know what, I do have some shortcomings. I'm going to fix that right now.

[Emma]

But now I will say this as we're talking about Caitlin Clark. When we did play them in the championship last year, there were like over 24 million people that watched the game. It topped 24 million. The average was about 18 million that watched the game. And do I think that people tune in to watch Caitlin? Absolutely. Give her all the credit. But when they tuned in, they saw a South Carolina team that was full of incredible talent that made our game better. Like, she brought more eyeballs to our game. But they, they, they found out that there's more really great players in our, in our game that is worthy of being talked about and worthy of giving, you know, giving credit. So I think it's, it's a win, win situation when we, we can, when we can have healthy conversation about what's happening and, and, and women's basketball and now the wnba.

[Dawn Staley]

I might have been reluctant to go full minivan. I believe I've used the words swore I'd never do this. But Jason and our girls have always been on board. And now that I'm a few months in, they're definitely loving the Sienna, which makes it harder for me to keep resisting. I will tell you, Jason is basking in the fact that I have caved about a minivan. He's been trying this for years. He. He really was pushing a minivan. He's a big minivan guy. The girls absolutely love the Sienna because school drop offs. I just press to open the door, you remember, and release the Kraken. I released that Kraken right into that school because. Boop. She's your problem now. You know what I mean? I will also say that we've taken some trips to the shore and we were lucky enough to get the screen feature in the back. We have a TV that is a game changer for the beach. The girls are obsessed. Although I won't lie to you guys, I will lie to my children till the day I die, but I won't lie to you guys. And I did lie and tell my children that the TV only works on long car rides. If you're nervous to go full minivan, listen, I've been there. But hey, maybe check out your local Toyota dealer. Just for funsies. Just fun. Go take a test drive, pop on that heated seat. No strings attached, you know, go see Teresa. You can learn more about the Toyota [e-mail] sienna. I'm very excited to talk to you more some more about your book. You have a New York Times bestseller, Uncommon Favor, which is now available. We'll put the link in the description. I don't know if you remember this, but a friend of mine, Josie, went to your book signing in New York and she said that. I said, can you please tell Dawn I'm so excited to talk to her? But she was so excited because we were talking about what an incredible accomplishment it is that you now have a book, ultimately, with all of your accolades, all of your accomplishments and your years of wisdom to drop on all of us. What made you decide to write it now?

[Emma]

One, I'm getting older and I didn't want to forget the stuff.

[Martin Pittsburgh]

There's one.

[Emma]

Two. I just think my, you know, the things that have been happening to me in my career, they're really good things. I mean, we. We won an NCAA national championship in an undefeated fashion. And I'm like, that doesn't happen very often. And then, I mean, so many great things have been happening to our program, to myself, that I felt like it was the right time to do it now. And it's not even a playoff. The fact that women's basketball is at its highest in demand and highest popularity, it was more of for me to pay homage to Philly and North Philly, my mother, like, in the game of basketball, like, I feel like I'm forever indebted to basketball. And through coaching, I feel like I'm repaying the debt. And it's a little scary when you put yourself out there. You don't know how you're going to be received. But every single person like, it really, you know, it really. It really makes me a little softer. And, you know, we don't like to be soft in Philly. It really, it really. It strikes my heart in a way that makes me grateful for giving myself, like, opening myself up for the world to see. And it's been received incredibly well.

[Dawn Staley]

It gives people even more depth to be able to invest their love and appreciation for what you've done in your life, what you've done for the city of Philadelphia. And you're, like you said, you're letting people in. I think that everybody, like, in any chance they can get to know you more and appreciate what you've done. I think that's. That's an incredible opportunity you've provided us. I have one last question for you.

[Emma]

Okay.

[Dawn Staley]

I know you've been asked this question, but I'm hoping it might be slightly harder to say no coming from me as a fellow Philly hype person. If the WNBA team, if there was a team in Philly, would you ever Consider coaching it.

[Emma]

No, no, no. You know why? Because I'd rather be an owner. I think there's much more in it to ownership, I think. I know a lot of people think that coaching is my best attribute, and I do think I'm a pretty good coach. But when I'm an owner, I could probably touch more people.

[Dawn Staley]

Let's do it. I'll invest.

[Emma]

Yes. That's what I'm saying.

[Dawn Staley]

I do think that Philly is a great market for it. As passionate as we are and as much momentum as women's sports has right now. Guys, come on.

[Emma]

It's easy. I will say this, and I've said this. We do have to get the Sixers going.

[Dawn Staley]

Yes.

[Emma]

It really helps. We don't have to worry about the Eagles.

[Dawn Staley]

We can help each other. Right. We gotta propel each other forward. Yeah.

[Emma]

So that, you know, like the. The. The. The professional teams, you know, are the. The cornerstones of our city. Like, they are. Like the Eagles are. You got it going on. The fires. The Phillies. Like, we got it going on. The Sixers have got to get it going on. And I. I do think it will be more welcomed.

[Dawn Staley]

Right now.

[Emma]

It's not. Right now, it's not. But timing. Timing is key. Like, it really is. When the time is right, it will be around for a long time. If it's forced on. On Philadelphians, you give us land. Yeah. You give us room to criticize it. If it doesn't. If it doesn't start off right, you give Philly room to, you know, boo Santa Claus. Like, right.

[Dawn Staley]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Snowballs.

[Emma]

Yes.

[Dawn Staley]

For sure. Absolutely. I cannot thank you enough for joining me today for this conversation. It is so refreshing to hear all of your thoughts and knowledge about coaching and being an athlete and how much sports has done for you. And just like I said, the impressive resume that you have put together is. It's for a reason. You are so incredible at everything that you do, and I really appreciate you sharing that knowledge with me today. You can purchase Dawn's bestselling book, Uncommon Favor, right now on Amazon. Thank you so much.

[Emma]

Thank you so much. I so look forward to us having this conversation. So I appreciate you and all that you do. Thank you for loving up on Philly.

[Dawn Staley]

Always Can't Stop Me. And that's a wrap on another episode of Not Gonna Lie. You can find even more clips from my longer conversation with dawn staley on my YouTube channel on more Monday. I'll be back next Thursday with a brand new episode. And we've got something very special. Planned. You might just see me in a brand new location, a summery spot you could say. God I love that dance floor. We will be holding a yoga class on the beach. Isn't doesn't that sound lovely at 8am the morning of the guest bartending event at the OD and I would love to see some real ones there. All of the registration fees associated with this yoga class will be going directly to our efforts of fundraising that day and going to the Eagles Autism Foundation. We're doing it in conjunction with Stride which is a locally owned business, female owned business. You know we love to women lifting women and I hope to see you guys there again. All details for that will be on my social media and shared at NGL with Kylie. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Not Gonna Lie is a Wave original brought to you by Toyota. Let's go places. Thank you to the real ones for tuning.

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