I still remember those early days, before South Carolina women’s basketball became what it is now. I was a season ticket holder when Dawn Staley first took the job. Back then, you could hear her in the huddle from across the court because there were barely enough people in the stands to drown her out. The energy was there, the vision was there, but the crowd wasn’t yet. That came later. What Dawn was building was something bigger than wins; she was building belief. And players like Khadijah Sessions helped make that belief real.
Khadijah was my favorite player from the moment she stepped on campus. She was pure fire – tough, confident, and all effort. She might not have had the biggest stat line, but she had the biggest heart. You felt her presence every possession. When she pressed full court, the whole gym could feel it. When she dived for a loose ball, you knew the standard was being set. She wasn’t just part of the culture; she was helping create it.
Now she’s back, standing where she once played, this time as a coach. And you can tell she’s bringing that same energy, that same voice, that same fight. Watching her on the sideline feels like a flashback and a glimpse of the future at the same time. She’s coaching the way she played – intense, loud, joyful, and full of love for the game. The young guards listen to her because she’s lived everything she’s teaching. She doesn’t have to convince them what it means to wear that jersey. She embodies it.
You can see her impact all over this program. The guards carry themselves with composure, they defend with pride, and they trust each other through the chaos. Part of that is the Khadijah Sessions influence. She played the game with a chip on her shoulder and a smile on her face, and now she’s teaching the next generation how to do the same.
When I sit in Colonial Life Arena now, packed to the rafters and louder than ever, I think back to those quiet nights and realize how far this thing has come. From empty seats to sold-out seasons. From whispers of potential to a powerhouse that defines the sport. Dawn may have built the foundation, but Khadijah was one of the bricks that made it strong.
She’s not just coaching basketball. She’s continuing the story that changed everything for this program. And as someone who’s been there since the beginning, it feels good to know that the same fire I saw in her as a player is now helping light the next generation. South Carolina basketball isn’t just thriving. It’s in the hands of people who helped build it.
And I’ll say this, with a grin… I’ve gotten to know Khadijah over the last few years, but I’ve never told her she was my favorite South Carolina player. She already had a big enough head back then, and I didn’t want to make it any bigger. When I see her in the gym now training middle and high school kids, I just dap her up and find a seat to watch. She pushes those kids with the same intensity she played with, and I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s exactly what those kids need. Watching her teach the game that way makes me smile every time. It’s proof that the fire she brought to the court never burned out – it just found new players to light up.
Berry Winn, raised in the red clay of Dalzell, South Carolina, is the founder of Catch12 and a serial entrepreneur with expertise in content, marketing, and negotiation. These days he might be considered an old head, but basketball still runs through his veins the same way it did when he first fell in love with the game.
