Landon Buford
Dawn Staley, basketball legend and head coach of female basketball in South Carolina, called out ESPN for not inviting Aliyah Boston to the ESPY Awards this week.
Staley reprimanded ESPN for failing to extend an invitation to Boston, which helped the Gamecocks to a championship in 2022, won the NCAA Most Outstanding Player, the Naismith College Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award, winner of the Wade Trophy, winner of the AP Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Boston is nominated for Best College Athlete, women’s sports at the ESPYs. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday.
“Like really….who in the room from @espn @ESPYS decided it was a great idea not to invite @MarchMadnessWBB NPOY DPOY….not one person was able to see the uproar this would cause? There’s definitely something wrong with the make-up of the room……the fight continues….#WBBSTANDUP,” Staley tweeted over the weekend.
According to Fox News, ESPN released a statement that reads, “We have the utmost respect for Aliyah Boston, Dawn Staley, and the South Carolina Gamecocks,” the outlet said.
“Due to both COVID restrictions and a new venue with much less seating capacity than previous shows, ‘The 2022 ESPYs’ prioritized athlete invitations to focus on specific awards that will be handed out during the broadcast.”
ESPN wasn’t the only person that was called out over the weekend. NBA Hall of Famer Alex English called out Stephen Curry, who is hosting the ESPYS.
Steph Curry, I know you are a champion of Women and Women’s sports. What do you have to say as the host of the ESPYS on ESPN excluding Aliyah Boston? SC30inc.’
English is spot on. Curry has been on the record supporting women’s sports. Earlier this year, he was asked what do athletes need to do as a whole need to help push the WNBA forward.
“Celebrate what they are doing and what they have done for years now…They set a standard and a model of how a league activates and uses their voice, platform and are very consistent,” said Curry.
