South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was one of the stars of the Sting during her playing days. She played seven seasons in Charlotte from 1999-2005 and was a four-time WNBA All-Star, averaging 8.9 points and 5.4 assists per game. For most of her WNBA career in Charlotte, she also served as the head basketball coach at Temple.

Dawn Staley, a former player for the Charlotte Sting and the current women's basketball coach at South Carolina, believes that if the WNBA were to return to Charlotte, it would be successful. She is confident that there would be sufficient funding to market the team and showcase the product on the court.