Roaming through the corridors of Paris’ early 19th-century stock exchange building, visitors immersed themselves in the rich history of Nike Air. With archival sneakers displayed in one room, they circulated on a roller coaster-esque conveyor belt, transporting them through over four decades of innovation and style. In another room, Olympic 2024 uniforms were showcased on mannequins, offering a glimpse into the future of performance innovation in running, basketball, lifestyle, and more. The ‘Nike On Air‘ event, featuring an exhibition and live performance at the Palais Brongniart, was exclusively showcased to 400 guests from around the world.
The heart of the experience lay in Nike’s celebration of the athlete as the driving force behind innovation. Beyond their skills in their respective sport, athletes emerged as cultural leaders, with stories to tell and personalities to express through style. This forward-looking perspective reaffirmed Nike’s commitment to empowering athletes in their sport as well as their individuality and self-expression.
One such athlete who embodies resilience, leadership, and style is Dawn Staley, the head coach for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. From her humble beginnings in North Philly to her groundbreaking achievements as both player and coach, her journey is one of overcoming odds and breaking barriers. With her team’s recent NCAA championship win, ESSENCE had the opportunity to sit down with the “It Coach” of the season to talk about winning championships, her evolving sense of style, and her favorite Nike Air sneaker.
“I want my legacy to be an odds-beater,” Staley told Essence at the Nike On Air experience in Paris last Thursday. There are odds every step of the way you go, and you’re either going to meet them or not. I just want to beat my personal odds.”
As seen through her signature sideline fits during games throughout the season, she embodies expressing herself through clothing on the court. By acknowledging the evolving role fashion has played in sports at this moment, Staley recognizes its significance, particularly in challenging stereotypes and celebrating individuality.
“I think it’s cool [to see fashion in sports] because there are many more storylines in addition to players’ play and talent,” she notes. “A lot of the time, it gives you insight on what a player is thinking and what their personality is; it gives depth to who athletes are. We often look at athletes as invincible, not even human beings, just things that aren’t filled with emotions. We get a glimpse of who they are and their personality through their creative fashion.”
While Staley’s on-court fashion moments have garnered praise and recognition for their role in reshaping the style narrative in sports, she remains firmly grounded and dedicated to nurturing her players, team, and future coaches. Although her tenure coaching the USA Basketball team concluded after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, her playbook for life draws heavily from over two decades of experience with USA Basketball. Staley’s journey with USA Basketball has profoundly influenced her coaching philosophy, from winning gold medals to being the first basketball athlete to serve as flag bearer at the 2004 Olympic Ceremonies.
“My experiences with USA Basketball are the most valuable lessons I have learned in terms of how I want to coach and how I want to live my life,” she states. “I think of USA basketball as a total team. Everyone has a job to do, no matter how big or how small. That’s my approach to everything. As a coach with my South Carolina team, that’s my approach.”
As she reflects on the recent NCAA season, which ended nearly two weeks ago, Staley shares how this season took her back to her early coaching days at South Carolina. Due to losing a core group of seniors and graduate students from the previous year, she was tasked with building a solid foundation for a less experienced team. By working through the obstacles and challenges of change, she witnessed the emergence of a tight-knit sisterhood among her players, leading to individual accountability and collective success.
Driven by challenges, she briefly touches upon her curiosity about astrology, noting how insights from a team member on communication with specific signs have enriched her coaching approach. As she continues to leave her mark on the world of sports, her legacy is a testament to the innovative spirit driving the Nike On Air immersive experience in Paris. Just as the experience celebrated athletes as the key players in the brand’s future, Staley embodies the same ethos, pushing boundaries and inspiring the next generation of professional athletes to make their dreams real.
When asked about her favorite Nike Air sneaker, Staley’s forward-looking response encapsulated the essence of innovation: “My favorite isn’t in existence yet. When A’ja Wilson gets a shoe, that will be my favorite.”