CBS Sports apologizes to USC’s Dawn Staley after radio remark about Kamilla Cardoso
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley took to social media on Thursday morning to call out what she described as an offensive description of Gamecocks center Kamilla Cardoso during a radio show.
“What a morning?!! Never thought I’d hear one of my players described in such an offensive way,” Staley wrote in a post. “I’m not sitting this one out. Kamilla deserves an apology @CBSSports @1075thegame (can be issued even though it’s out of your control).”
JR Jackson, host of “JRSportsBrief” for CBS Sports Radio, said the following Thursday morning about Cardoso on a CBS Sports Minute clip that was broadcast on 107.5 The Game, a local affiliate.
Said Jackson in a brief hit describing the NCAA women’s tournament: “I’m more excited for the women’s tournament. I’m ready for Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and the giant Brazilian woman from South Carolina that knocks people over.”
Jackson’s comment was in reference to the late-game scuffle that broke out between South Carolina and LSU in the SEC Tournament championship game Sunday, where the 6-foot-7 Cardoso was ejected for pushing LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson to the ground after Johnson pushed Cardoso’s teammate Ashlyn Watkins.
Cardoso, a first team All SEC performer in her third season with the Gamecocks, will reportedly miss USC’s first NCAA Tournament game as a result of her ejection.
Both 107.5 The Game and CBS Sports apologized within about 20 minutes, Staley said publicly in replies to her original social media post. The local radio station issued written and on-air apologies, while CBS Sports executives personally apologized, Staley wrote.
107.5’s apology:
“Coach you have every right to be upset. We as a CBS affiliate do not control what plays in their sports minutes and we certainly don’t condone what was said. We try and treat all women’s sports with the upmost respect. It’s unfortunate some national voices don’t. (1/2)
(2/2) Even though it was not one of our voices that said this, we are ultimately responsible for what plays on our airways and we will work to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologize to you, Kamilla and your entire team.”
Staley replied “Accepted with love and understanding,” with three praying hand emojis.
The State has reached out to CBS Sports and requested comment on the situation.
Jackson’s comments play into a narrative about South Carolina’s physicality that Staley expressed concern over earlier in the week on her radio call-in show.
“I just don’t want the narrative,” Staley said Tuesday in response to questions over officiating concerns heading into the NCAA Tournament. “We had another coach speak on our team last year, heading into the NCAA Tournament. …It was a bit much (Sunday). It was a bit much in the Final Four.”
Staley also called out national media and Iowa coach Lisa Bluder after last year’s Final Four loss for their comments on USC’s style of play.
“We’re not bar fighters. We’re not thugs. We’re not monkeys. We’re not street fighters,” Staley said. “I do think that that’s sometimes brought into the game, and it hurts.”
Before their Final Four matchup, Bluder said someone described rebounding against South Carolina to her as “going to a bar fight.” Earlier in the season, UConn coach Geno Auriemma make comments about South Carolina’s physicality in February after losing to the Gamecocks.
