Dawn Staley Won't Be Apologizing For Saying 'Something's Wrong With You' If You Don't Believe In God
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley spoke about God and her Christian faith following the Gamecocks' win over Oregon State in the Elite Eight. One specific comment she made appeared to ruffle some feathers, but she won't be apologizing for them anytime soon.
With her team celebrating behind her minutes after its 70-58 win to punch its ticket to the Final Four, Staley began her postgame interview praising her team before "giving all the glory to God."
"God is really, he's really funny," Staley said. "The devastating loss that we had last year, to put us back here with a totally different scene. If you don't believe in God, something is wrong with you, seriously."
It was her "something is wrong with you" comment that made some easily offended folks online upset.
Fast-forward to Thursday, the day before South Carolina takes on NC State in the Final Four, and Staley was asked about the pushback she's received following her comments.
While some may have expected her to apologize or offer some sort of sentiment for anyone who isn't religious, she took the exact opposite route, and doubled down.
"What if I said, ‘If you don’t watch women’s basketball, there’s something seriously wrong with you’? Staley asked. "Would you take it as threatening as somebody took the other [quote]? I mean, it’s a figure of speech, if you can’t comprehend that, then tune me out. Tune me out because I’m not here to offend anybody. That is not my make-up. That’s not my character; so if you’re just tuning in for one interview and you probably heard it from somebody else who heard it from somebody else and it’s hearsay, then you can have your take on it."
"I’m not apologizing. I’m not gonna apologize for what I said and what I feel because I know my life and I know why things have happened in my life; and I’m gonna salute God as much as I can because I know it’s not just my doing."
Staley didn't stop expressing her faith when the on-court interview ended, either. She spent quite a bit of time during her formal postgame presser talking about God while also referencing the Bible.
"I think God has a funny way of dealing with people, and I'm one of His, and for us to lose the way we lost last year and for him to bring us to this point today makes me believe a little bit deeper," Staley said.
"The strength is my faith in who he is because -- I don't know what the Bible verse is, but I know that when you're at your worst and your weakest moments, He's at his best."
Staley and her South Carolina team are unbeaten this season, 36-0, and are looking to make it a perfect 38-0 with a win over the Wolfpack in the Final Four and a meeting with Iowa or UConn in the national title game.