The long-awaited statue of South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was unveiled Wednesday afternoon near downtown Columbia. The statue, which is 14 feet tall, made of bronze and weighs nearly 2,000 pounds, depicts a smiling Staley on a ladder holding a basketball net, as if she’d just cut it down after winning a national championship.

With all the wins under her belt, trophies and title nets in the Gamecocks’ awards case, Staley didn’t need this statue to cement her legacy in Columbia or in women’s basketball. But one forged by fire will stand as she still roams the sidelines, a testament to Staley’s journey.

On Wednesday, the City of Columbia revealed a statue at the University of South Carolina to honor Gamecocks women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley. The City