Dawn Staley Sends Strong Message to Vanessa Bryant on Saturday

The pair of custom Kobe sneakers were gifted to Staley by Vanessa Bryant as a token of appreciation for her pivotal role in advancing women’s basketball. 

Staley has also had a long-standing relationship with Nike. 

As a collegiate star at the University of Virginia (where she was a two-time All-American), Staley earned her first signature shoe, the Nike Zoom S5, in 1999. 

That partnership laid the foundation for her ongoing affiliation with the brand. 

In 2024, Staley was one of four coaches included in Nike's Athlete Think Tank 3.0 initiative, which was designed to "turn their vision for a more equitable future of sport into a reality."

In February 2025, she posted an enthusiastic review of A’ja Wilson’s Nike A’One Black Label Player Edition shoes to support Wilson’s signature line. 

In January 2025, Staley signed an extension worth $25.25 million over five years, anchored by a $4 million base salary that escalates by $250,000 annually, plus a $500,000 signing bonus.

This deal runs through the 2029-30 season, solidifying her status as the highest-paid coach in women’s college basketball history.