Rapper Plies surprised South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley with a special gift before the Gamecocks’ first-round March Madness game. The gift was a dazzling gem-studded chain in the shape of the NCAA Tournament championship trophy, featuring the years when South Carolina won national titles – 2017, 2022, and 2024, with a studded basketball on top. Inscribed on the back is a quote from Psalm 46:50: “Dawn Staley / ‘God is within her she will not fail!’” Staley proudly wore the chain during the game against No. 16 Tennessee Tech and shared a photo on X and Instagram, expressing her gratitude for the thoughtful gesture. Plies, known for his support of the Gamecocks women’s basketball team, described Staley as his hero and a source of inspiration. The rapper, a former wide receiver at Miami University in Ohio, has shown his backing for the team by attending games and events, including inviting Staley on stage during a concert in Columbia. Plies even predicted South Carolina’s victory over UConn as a celebrity guest picker on College GameDay’s women’s basketball show.
