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Anne Donovan, Cheryl Reeve, Dawn Staley and the biggest miracle in WNBA history

By Howard Megdal

3 Jul 2001: Head Coach Anne Donovan of the Charlotte Sting talking things over with her staff during the WNBA game against the New York Liberty at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Sting defeated the Liberty 66-61. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport
3 Jul 2001: Head Coach Anne Donovan of the Charlotte Sting talking things over with her staff during the WNBA game against the New York Liberty at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Sting defeated the Liberty 66-61. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport /
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Reeve went to work with Hughes in Cleveland for one year—before ownership bailed on that team—then returned to Charlotte for the final two years of the Sting’s existence in 2004-05, and finally joined Bill Laimbeer’s staff in Detroit. Those Shock teams, on which Reeve served as both assistant coach and, for a time, general manager, won titles in 2006 and 2008, advancing to the WNBA Finals in 2007.

Of course, Reeve then got her chance at a head coaching job in Minnesota in 2010, and has led the Lynx to six WNBA Finals appearances in seven seasons.

Donovan left after 2002, went to Seattle, and building around a young core of Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird, took the Storm to the 2004 WNBA title. She served as an assistant coach for USA Basketball in the 2004 Olympics and head coach in 2008, taking home gold medals in both Olympics (this time, with Lisa Leslie on her side).

Edwards, the key acquisition, found her way back to Brian Agler. She’s an assistant on that Sparks team, the 2016 WNBA champions who returned to the 2017 finals.

Staley coached Temple until 2008 before moving to South Carolina, where she coached the Gamecocks to the 2015 Final Four and in 2017, an NCAA championship.

Reeve and Staley served as assistant coaches for USA Basketball, and following their gold medals in 2016, Staley took over as head coach.

DALLAS, TX – APRIL 02: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds the NCAA trophy after her teams win in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – APRIL 02: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds the NCAA trophy after her teams win in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

It is hard not to think about what might have been in Charlotte, with all that talent concentrated in one place, but that was the transient nature of women’s basketball at the time, foundations built in some places, sand castles in others.

“It was just a franchise that had lived in the bottom for too long,” Donovan said. “Ownership clearly had lost interest and fans had lost interest. Even though there were a lot of great stories on that team, we were always up against the big picture. It never felt, from the day I got there it never felt like oh yeah, let’s unpack and buy a house and stick around. It never had that kind of feel to it.”

Even so, the season Staley recalls as “almost like a championship” resonates with all who experienced it. Donovan doesn’t collect many pieces of memorabilia from her remarkable career playing and coaching, but keeps the official team picture of her 2001 Charlotte Sting in her office.

“It ranks right up there,” Donovan said. This ranks, with the Olympics for sure—winning that gold medal as a coach was everything. But this in terms of WNBA ranks right up there with winning the championship [in Seattle]. Because of that group. Such a special group. A lot of fun that year.”

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