This week on the College Basketball Edition of The IX Sports Podcast, Melissa Triebwasser and Michael Waterloo sit down to discuss the legendary University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
On this episode, the pair are joined by Zia Cooke, Te-Hina Paopao and South Carolina beat writer Lulu Kesin from The Greenville News.
Zia Cooke and Te-Hina Paopao
In an interview with Cooke, Triebwasser posed a question: “When you see that current team continuing to dominate the program, continue to be successful, what makes you proudest about the foundation your class helped lay down?”
Cooke deferred to Head Coach Dawn Staley, as well as Cooke’s own predecessors in the program.
“Man, honestly, I don’t even want to take too much credit for like what people did after us. I think we kind of — like Asia [Dozier] set a standard … Ty[asha Harris] set a standard. I just think like I said, it starts with Coach Staley, like she, she makes sure — she’s gonna give everybody the blueprint. It’s just up to what you’re gonna do with it.”
In an interview with Paopao, Waterloo asked how playing in high-pressure environments for South Carolina prepared her for playing in the WNBA. Paopao also deferred to Staley in her response.
“I mean, she very much prepared me. I mean, she runs her — you know, coach runs her program like a professional program, so just be able to come from Columbia to Atlanta, it was nothing new, but at the same time it was really fun, and she prepared me for all the big moments and all the big crowds,” Paopao said.
Lulu Kesin
Kesin, who serves as the beat reporter for South Carolina Women’s Basketball at The Greenville News.
Treibwasser asked Kesin to what extent she thinks Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) has played a role in building success at South Carolina.
“It’s hard, because a lot of the, you know, NIL is so private. It’s something that us beat reporters are definitely grappling with, and you know, like, what numbers are true, what numbers are real … I do think South Carolina, from what they’re definitely not swimming, you know, compared to some other schools, they’re not swimming in money,” Kesin said.
Tune in to the podcast to hear more insights from Kesin and the upcoming season for the Gamecocks.
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